Chocolate thief jailed after shoplifting tour

A man who toured the country to steal more than £5,000 of chocolate, sweets and other items from supermarkets has been jailed.

Ionut Rova, 20, criss-crossed the country to shoplift from nine Tesco stores and an Aldi between August 2024 and January.

He was jailed for 10 weeks at Reading Magistrates' Court on 17 February but was told he would have been jailed for 45 weeks had he not admitted the 10 thefts.

Rova, from Rutland Road, Harrow, stole from Tesco stores in Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Rutland and Surrey and an Aldi store in Berkshire.

In total, he stole from the following stores on the following days:

• On 20 August 2024 stole £800 of items from Tesco in Daventry, Northamptonshire
• 25 September stole £800 of items from Tesco in Amersham, Buckinghamshire
• 28 September stole £600 of chocolates from Tesco in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire
• 15 October stole £500 of confectionery from Tesco in Faringdon, Oxfordshire
• 31 October stole £400 of chocolate from Tesco in Warfield, Berkshire
• 13 November stole £600 of items from Tesco in Swaffham, Norfolk and £300 of items from Tesco in Dereham, Norfolk
• 25 November stole £502.50 of items from Tesco in Leatherhead, Surrey
• 2 December stole £672 of items from Tesco in Oakham, Rutland
• 18 January 2025 stole £238.14 of items from Aldi in Wokingham, Berkshire

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