Wanted Thief Caught Red-Handed with Drugs and Knife in Mansfield Sting
Plain-Clothes Police Nab Shoplifter
Plain-clothed officers swooped on Mansfield after receiving tip-offs about drug activity in the area. On Tuesday, July 19, the county knife crime team spotted 43-year-old Lester Moore—wanted for multiple shop thefts—in St John Street.
Repeated B&M Raids Net Cameras and Cleaning Supplies
Moore targeted the same B&M store on Station Road, Sutton in Ashfield, thrice during June and July 2022, stealing cameras and cleaning products. Officers, blending in without uniforms, tracked him down before carrying out a surprise stop and search.
Lock Knife, Crack Cocaine, and Heroin Found
Policemen found a lock knife on Moore’s person. Custody searches uncovered crack cocaine and heroin. Moore was charged with three thefts, possession of Class A drugs, and carrying a bladed weapon.
Four-Month Prison Sentence Suspended for a Year
Moore pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on July 20. He was sentenced to a four-month jail term, suspended for one year, plus £80 compensation.
“This is a prime example of our teams using clever tactics to proactively remove offenders from our streets,” said Sergeant Jonny Groves of Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime squad. “Thanks to plain-clothes officers, we detained Moore quickly—something we couldn’t have done easily otherwise.”
“We took a known troublemaker off the streets, seized dangerous drugs, and confiscated a weapon. Carrying knives will never be tolerated, and we will always enforce the law.”
“Fighting knife crime and drug offences is our top priority, and we’ll keep patrolling to keep our communities safe.”
