Shoplifter who stole £60k in goods jailed

A shoplifter who stole £60,000 worth of goods has been jailed for two years, police have said.

John Ward pleaded guilty at Guildford Crown Court to a spate of shoplifting offences in Surrey and Kent, as well as London, Thames Valley, Cleveland, Cheshire and Durham, according to Surrey Police.

The force said the 22-year-old "brazenly stole" nicotine, healthcare and cosmetic products from Boots, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Co-op stores.

Ward, of Station Approach in Ashford, Surrey, was charged with 19 counts of conspiracy to steal from a shop.

He later admitted to 24 additional incidents to officers, Surrey Police said.

The force added a number of the incidents were reported to them by the Boots Intelligence Hub.

Ward was arrested on 20 January for the offences, which happened between June 2024 and January 2025.

"Shoplifting has a significant impact on businesses and can leave shop staff feeling fearful and vulnerable," said investigating officer, PC Annalise Ware.

"Incidents often go unreported - especially for lower value goods - but we encourage any businesses to report [them]."

She said it was a priority for Surrey Police to "robustly pursue" shoplifters and get them before a court.

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