Joanna Warner, a 43-year-old former benefits claimant who received £1,700 per month from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), has admitted to a prolific shoplifting spree in which she stole up to £140 worth of goods daily. Warner, who claimed Personal Independence Payments and Universal Credit for poor health, targeted major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, and Asda, focusing on high-value meat and alcohol.
Shoplifting routine and resale operation
In an interview with The Sun, Warner described her method: “I could make £140 a day shoplifting and I would go out grafting a few times a day. A proper graft involved filling the trolley up with alcohol and meat knowing I could go straight to the pub and sell it within seconds because people would pay half price for it.” She primarily stole steaks, legs of lamb, and large beef joints, explaining that a £16 leg of lamb would fetch £8 on the resale market. She also took bottles and cans of alcohol that lacked security tags.
Warner detailed how she would conceal stolen items: “Sometimes I would be lucky, they would be stocking the shelves and I could chuck a whole box in my trolley. I would cover it in toilet roll then walk around the store sliding everything into bags for life. When I would get to the exit, I would pick up the bags and run.” She noted that supermarkets were preferable targets because clothing was harder to resell due to sizing and style preferences.
Arrest and continued offending
In 2017, Warner was charged with stealing £284 worth of meat, toiletries, and alcohol from an Asda store in Accrington. Despite the arrest, she persisted: “Getting arrested didn’t put me off. I would get caught and the police would say, ‘Joanna you are s*** at this.’ I would think, ‘I am, but I still get away with it.’” She added that she was barred from Blackburn town centre and all local shops, but it did not stop her: “You just risk it.”
Turning her life around
Warner has since reformed and now works to help others avoid a similar path in the North West of England. Her story highlights the intersection of benefit dependency and criminal activity, though she did not specify whether her shoplifting was driven by financial need or addiction.
