Walker thief banned from Newcastle retail park after targeting six stores in a month-long shoplifting spree

A persistent shoplifter has been banned from setting foot inside a shopping park and other stores in his local area following a huge shoplifting spree.

More than £180-worth of washing tablets, 12 joints of meat, and five bottles of gin were among Kieran Scott's haul of stolen goods. The 27-year-old has plagued businesses on Newcastle Shopping Park in the Walker area of the city and was found to have carried out six separate thefts in April.

Now he has been banned from the stores in a bid to halt his prolific offending.

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On April 9, Scott took £100-worth of goods from TK Maxx on the retail park without paying, before stealing 12 joints of meat from the Aldi store on Walker Road after leaving the premises via a fire exit. He then stole £60-worth of meat from Lidl on Shields Road on April 12 and in the process, he caused £3,000-worth of damage to a fire exit when making his way out of the store.

On the same day he helped himself to five bottles of gin from Home Bargains on Fossway before fleeing the scene.

The shoplifter's spree continued as he stole more than £180-worth of washing tablets from Poundland on April 15 and he made a return to the TK Maxx shop three days later, where he picked up two handbags and two perfumes before getting away without paying.

Scott, of Welbeck Road in Newcastle, was then arrested by officers investigating the reports and subsequently charged with six counts of theft and one count of criminal damage. At Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Friday, June 7, Scott admitted all of the charges against him.

He was back before the same court on Wednesday, June 12, where he was made subject to a two-year Community Behaviour Order which prohibits him from entering any of the stores on Newcastle Shopping Park, as well as Lidl on Shields Road, the Aldi store on Walker Road and the Heron shops on Welbeck Road and Church Walk.

In the hearing Scott, who has numerous previous convictions for theft, was also ordered to pay a combined total of £1,600 in compensation to the businesses he stole from and caused damage to.

Inspector Craig Patchett, of Northumbria Police, said: "This is a great result for us in our bid to curb this prolific offender's behaviour. Kieran Scott's ongoing criminality has been totally and utterly unacceptable, causing problems for staff and shoppers alike and we are pleased he is now banned from entering a number of stores.

"He should be under no illusions that should he choose to breach this order at any time he faces arrest and a possible jail term. Anyone who witnesses Scott in an area where he should not be present should contact us immediately so that we can take the necessary action."

Insp Patchett added: "We hope that the order imposed upon him offers reassurance to the wider community that, as a Force, we will continue to do all we can to act on concerns reported and bring effective justice against prolific offenders."

Anyone who is a victim of anti-social behaviour is encouraged to report it via the Northumbria Police website at https://www.northumbria.police.uk/report/. In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always ring 999.