A 67-year-old man has been sentenced to 24 weeks in prison after orchestrating a calculated shoplifting operation targeting Brita water filters from Morrisons supermarkets. Tony Isaac, from Yaxley, employed a deceptive method he believed would allow him to evade detection, but his crimes were uncovered by police following a series of thefts across multiple locations.
Systematic Thefts Across Multiple Stores
Isaac's criminal activities began on December 5 last year at the Morrisons store on Needingworth Road in St Ives. He carefully selected three water filters, concealing them within a black shopping bag before proceeding to the checkout to pay for other, less valuable items. This initial success emboldened him to repeat the offence on five further occasions at the same St Ives branch between that date and January 10 this year.
Not content with targeting a single location, Isaac expanded his operation to include the Morrisons on Lincoln Road in Peterborough. He visited this store twice, on December 26 and January 5, employing the identical covert tactic to steal additional filters. His method was consistent: hide the high-value filters in a bag and only pay for cheaper goods at the till.
Police Investigation and Arrest
Cambridgeshire Constabulary officers arrested Isaac at his home in Yaxley on Saturday, January 17. During the arrest, police discovered approximately 200 Brita water filters, evidencing the significant scale of his thefts. The stolen goods were found stored both inside his property and in the boot of his car, indicating a planned operation rather than opportunistic crime.
Appearing at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on Monday, January 19, Isaac pleaded guilty to seven separate counts of theft from a shop. The magistrates handed down a 24-week custodial sentence in response to the premeditated and repeated nature of his offences.
Officer's Statement on the Case
Following the sentencing, PC Charlie Brett of Cambridgeshire Constabulary provided insight into the investigation. "The number of filters found at Isaac's home and car demonstrated the scale of the operation he was involved in," stated PC Brett. "We believe he was stealing them in order to sell them online. His crimes were pre-planned and targeted. He knew exactly what he was going to steal and used a tactic he thought would mean he escaped justice."
The case highlights ongoing challenges retailers face with organised shoplifting, where individuals specifically target high-value, easily resalable items. Morrisons has not commented publicly on the incident, but such thefts contribute to significant losses for supermarkets nationwide, ultimately affecting prices for honest consumers.
