Prolific Poole shoplifter set to spend 16 months behind bars

A Poole man who repeatedly stole from two shops in Bournemouth has been sentenced to 16 months in jail.

Simon Philip Pope, 36, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 17 January and was sentenced in connection with 31 counts of theft from a shop, as well as one count of attempted theft and criminal damage.

The offending occurred between Saturday 3 August and Saturday 23 November 2024 at Co-op in Charminster Road and One Stop in Ripon Road.

The total value of items stolen was around £4,200.

Pope was also sentenced in relation to an incident in which he attempted to steal a cash box from the till and caused damage inside the Asda shop in Bath Road.

Police Constable Jason Funnell, of the Investigation and Resolution Centre, said: “Pope was a prolific shoplifter who was described by the judge as ruthless and brazen in his actions.

“As part of Operation Shopkeeper, we diligently investigated the offences using local intelligence, which subsequently resulted in the arrest of Pope.

“We are committed to targeting offenders such as Pope and bringing them before the court as we fully recognise the impact this type of activity has on businesses.”