A persistent thief from Nottingham has been handed a suspended prison sentence after a bizarre double burglary where he stole crates of beer from the same supermarket twice within ten minutes.
The Midnight Raids
The incident unfolded in the early hours of a Saturday, around 12.40am on 1st November. Laighton Thompson, a 28-year-old from Radford, Nottingham, was captured on CCTV smashing a glass door panel at the Heron Foods store in the St Ann's area.
Security footage showed him entering the damaged premises and swiftly taking two crates of beer from the shelves before making his escape. However, in an unusual turn of events, Thompson returned to the scene of the crime just ten minutes later, this time with a bottle of beer already in his hand, and proceeded to steal another two boxes of booze.
Swift Police Response and Arrest
Alert security staff at the shop promptly contacted Nottinghamshire Police following the second incident. Officers arrived on the scene within minutes and apprehended Thompson, who was still in possession of several bottles of beer.
PC Oliver Grosvenor praised the operation, stating, "This was fantastic teamwork involving different police teams which resulted in a burglar being caught red-handed." He added, "The last thing any local business needs is to be targeted by burglars."
Court Sentencing and Consequences
Thompson was brought before Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Monday, 3rd November, where he admitted to the burglary charge.
The magistrates sentenced him to a six-week prison term, suspended for 12 months. In addition to this, he was given a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement and was ordered to pay £154 in compensation for the damages and stolen goods.
