Serial shoplifter jailed for breaching order

A prolific shoplifter who was subject to North Yorkshire's first criminal behaviour order for retail theft has been jailed after being caught stealing again.

Christopher Bullivant, 41, was sentenced to eight months in prison for breaching the order by entering convenience stores in York earlier this month and taking items.

He has a string of previous offences for shoplifting, which led to North Yorkshire Police applying for the order.

Shoplifting offences reported by police in England and Wales rose by 23% to more than 492,000 in the year to September 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is the highest figure since current recording practices began in 2003.

Bullivant, of no fixed address, admitted breaching a criminal behaviour order at York Magistrates' Court.

PC Jonathan Lewis of North Yorkshire Police said: "Bullivant is a highly prolific shoplifter.

"The fact he was the first in North Yorkshire to receive a criminal behaviour order for retail theft speaks volumes about how persistent his offending has been.

"A large part of our work around retail crime is about protecting retail staff and shoppers from the verbal and physical abuse which often accompanies theft.

"Criminal behaviour orders are helping us do that by ensuring offenders are dealt with decisively and we can prevent situations that put shop staff and the public at risk.

"We plan to use more of them as part of our ongoing strategy to tackle retail crime.

"As this result shows, the police and the courts do not tolerate orders being breached and they give us a quick and decisive way to deal with any criminals who don't follow them."

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