Shoplifter Snatches High-Value Goods in Brighton Spree
A brazen shoplifter who terrorised shops across Brighton and Hove has finally been caged for 50 weeks.
Thief Targets Electric Toothbrushes, Jellycat Toys & More
Jason Thorpe, 54, homeless and desperate, admitted nicking pricey items from multiple stores. His haul included £160 electric toothbrushes, popular Jellycat soft toys, scented candles, and health products stolen across Portslade, Hove, and central Brighton.
Eleven Thefts in Three Months
- Between 9 August and 28 October, Thorpe struck at least 11 times.
- He often strolled in, grabbed expensive goods, and walked out without paying.
- The spree began at a Portslade Tesco, where he pinched the costly electric toothbrush.
- Thorpe became obsessed, hitting supermarkets repeatedly for the same product all August.
- He also hit Bert’s Homestore in Hove three times, snatching armfuls of Jellycat soft toys.
- In October, he swiped candles from Neptune showroom and health items from Holland & Barrett in Brighton.
Crackdown Leads to Arrest and Jail
Police pieced together the spree and arrested Thorpe on 27 November. Charged the next day with 11 counts of shop theft, Thorpe pleaded guilty at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 29 November and was sentenced to nearly a year behind bars.
“Thorpe showed a clear pattern of offending,” said Detective Constable Timothy Carr-Dean. “He caused significant disruption and financial loss. His repeated thefts left staff frustrated. Thanks to the stores for their help in ending this spree.”
