'Brazen' shoplifters in Aldershot locked up for stealing shoes, perfume and beauty products worth hundreds of pounds

File image of a shoplifter putting an item in a bag
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)


Shoplifters have been locked up for stealing shoes, perfume and beauty products worth hundreds of pounds from stores in Aldershot. The Range, New Look and Boots were targeted by the two women and man in separate offences.

One of the shoplifters, Abbie Folkes, "brazenly" ignored an order banning her from going into the town for five years. A court heard she stole fragrance bottles worth £461.20 from Boots in the Wellington Centre on September 12.

Another "prolific" shoplifter to appear in court, Charlene Ellacott, stole beauty products from The Range on Ivy Road on September 2. And Ryan Gibbs was also locked up after stealing stealing paint, shoes and fragrance from The Range, New Look and Boots between September 2 and September 9.

Police said their sentences send a "message to offenders that this level of behaviour and criminality will not be tolerated".

Read on to find out more about their crimes and the sentences they received:

Abbie Folkes

Abbie Folkes, 31, of East Street, Farnham stole fragrance bottles worth £461.20 from Boots in the Wellington Centre on September 12. She appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on September 16 and pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a shop.

Folkes also pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a criminal behaviour order. She was jailed for a total of 20 weeks.

Police Sergeant Rob Tiller, from the Aldershot Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Abbie Folkes is a prolific shoplifter who stole more than £450 worth of items from a store in Aldershot. A Criminal Behaviour Order was imposed in 2023, which banned her from entering Aldershot for five years. However, she brazenly ignored this and continued to visit the area to commit crime."

Charlene Ellacott

Charlene Ellacott, 36, of North Lane, Aldershot, stole beauty products worth £72.98 from The Range on Ivy Road on 2 September. She appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on September 16 and pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a shop. Ellacott was jailed for a total of 13 weeks.

Sergeant Tiller said: “Charlene Ellacott is a prolific shoplifter who stole more than £70 worth of items from a shop in Aldershot. Her behaviour has had a huge impact on various local businesses and retailers in the town."

Ryan Gibbs

Ryan Gibbs stole paint, shoes and fragrance bottles worth a total of £579 from The Range, New Look and Boots between September 2 and 9. He appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on September 17 and pleaded guilty to four counts of theft from a shop.

Gibbs, 39, of no fixed abode, also pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a controlled drug of Class A. He was jailed for a total of 14 weeks.

Sergeant Tiller said: "Ryan Gibbs stole more than £550 worth of items from shops in Aldershot. His actions have had a huge impact on businesses in our area and I hope this result makes it clear that this behaviour will not be tolerated."

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