Prolific Bournemouth shoplifter jailed
A prolific shoplifter who stole various items from shops in Bournemouth has been jailed.
Graham Ridealgh, aged 52 and of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday 24 June 2024 to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty at Poole Magistrates’ Court to shoplifting and non-dwelling burglary offences.
The offences were committed between Friday 1 December 2023 and Saturday 30 March 2024 and included regular thefts at Boots in Christchurch Road, One-Stop in Southbourne Grove, Co-Op in Cranleigh Road, and Sports Direct in the Sovereign Centre.
An investigation was carried out into the incidents by the Investigation Resolution Centre (IRC) Retail Team using intelligence, offender behaviour patterns and CCTV footage, which meant that Ridealgh was identified as the culprit.
The total value of the items he stole – which included food, alcohol, beauty products, sports clothing and children’s toys – was estimated at over £1,400.
Chief Inspector Alyssa Forrest, of Dorset Police, said: “The investigation into Ridealgh’s shoplifting was part of further Op Shopkeeper work, which is an ongoing effort to identify prolific shoplifters and take robust action against them to create a hostile environment for offending.
“During the last seven months, Op Shopkeeper has targeted 20 prolific shoplifters and secured convictions.
“We will continue to operate to prevent further harm to the business community.
“We will continue to work closely with Community Safety partners and the Business Improvement Districts (BID) to identify thieves who repeatedly target retail premises and theft hotspots to help reduce the cost and impact of this offending on our communities.”
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