A persistent shoplifter who stole more than £6,000 worth of goods from a Greenwich BP store has had additional prison time added to his sentence. John Harris Bolton, 38, repeatedly targeted the shop over six months, taking items such as meat, alcohol, and other products.
Bolton was first arrested on February 4. Despite his initial charge and bail, he continued to steal from the same store. He was rearrested on March 13 and pleaded guilty to 31 counts of theft. In April, he was jailed for 35 weeks and banned from entering any BP store in southeast London for the next five years.
On Monday (July 8), Bolton appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court again, where he was given an additional two weeks on his sentence after admitting to eight more thefts from the same shop.
Superintendent Rav Pathania, who leads local policing in Greenwich, commented on the case: “Bolton stole a huge amount of goods, and I’m pleased he’s paid the price for his crimes. We know the damaging effect shoplifting has on businesses, especially the awful impact on workers who feel threatened by those who target their workplace. This was a massive effort which I hope demonstrates how we will drive down crime, listen to community concerns, and tackle criminals who target shops and businesses.”
Superintendent Rav Pathania, leading local policing in Greenwich, praised the collaborative effort in tackling shoplifting.
BP UK security manager Jim Brand added: “The safety and security of our valued colleagues and customers always comes first. This is a great example of how by working together we can tackle the issue of rising levels of crime and abuse in the retail sector – and send a clear message that crime has no place in our stores.”
Michael Walters, Area Manager of Safer Business Network, also praised the collaboration, saying: “Safer Business Network were commissioned by Royal Greenwich Council to implement Business Crime Reduction Partnerships across the borough to improve community safety and reduce crime. We believe in collaborative multi-agency problem-solving with key stakeholders to find solutions to local problems. This is a perfect example demonstrating the power of intelligence sharing and how working together to identify prolific offenders can mean positive action is taken to protect businesses.”
John Harris Bolton was sentenced to additional prison time for his repeated thefts.
