Quickly exit this site by pressing the Escape key Leave this site
We use some essential cookies to make our website work. We’d like to set additional cookies so we can remember your preferences and understand how you use our site.
You can manage your preferences and cookie settings at any time by clicking on “Customise Cookies” below. For more information on how we use cookies, please see our Cookies notice.
Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can update your cookie settings at any time on the cookies page.
Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can update your cookie settings at any time on the cookies page.
Sorry, there was a technical problem. Please try again.
This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.
A 36-year-old man has been jailed for 17 shopliftings in Southampton city centre.
Samuel Griffiths, of no fixed abode, appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Tuesday 27 February) where he was sentenced to four months and two weeks in prison.
Griffiths was arrested by a patrolling officer and later charged in connection with 17 incidents that took place between January 26th and February 20th in which stock worth £1091 was taken from the Commercial Road, High Street and Archers Road Co-op stores.
The court heard how a review of CCTV footage showed Griffiths entering the stores on each occasion and leaving with items including wine, beer and Red Bull without paying for them.
Police Sergeant Carl Peverill, who leads Southampton’s city centre unit, said: “We know the impact that this type of repeat offending has on local businesses and shop staff, and we have a zero tolerance towards it – the city centre unit is committed to targeting those who repeatedly commit crime within Southampton’s stores.
“We are pleased with the prison sentence given and hope that it sends out a message to criminals who continue to steal in Southampton, making the lives of shop staff difficult. If you continue to shoplift in the city then you will be dealt with robustly and we will do everything we can to put those causing harm to our communities before the courts."
"Please keep reporting incidents to us via 101 or online, if we don’t know about it we can’t help. You can also come and speak to patrolling officers in the city any time.”