Shoplifter Jailed for Theft of over £700 of Meat

A shoplifter who threatened a security guard with a knife has been sentenced to 21 months imprisonment. Lee Whiting, 31 and of no fixed address, stole large quantities of meat from a Strood supermarket on five occasions and threatened a member of staff with a knife when he was confronted. He was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday 16 May after being found guilty of one count of threatening a person with a bladed article and admitting five counts of shoplifting. The court heard that all of Whiting’s offences took place in November 2017 and saw more than £700 worth of meat stolen from a store in Commercial Road. The first offence saw Whiting fill a plastic bag full of a quantity of meat before leaving the store, with the items, after being approached by a member of staff. He returned to the store on a further four occasions and on each occasion he would head straight to the meat aisle, fill up a plastic bag, and leave – making no effort to pay for the items. On the final occasion security officers approached Whiting, who subsequently threatened them with a knife before leaving the store. Detective Inspector Susan Smith, from Kent Police, said: ‘Whiting’s victims were fearful that they were going to be seriously harmed and his actions are completely inexcusable. ‘Further to this, he has caused an honest and law abiding business to lose a significant amount of money. It is entirely appropriate that he has received a custodial sentence.’

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