Prolific Waterlooville shoplifter jailed for 18 weeks

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed for 18 weeks after he admitted stealing a pair of shoes from a store in Waterlooville.

On Saturday 20 April, Carl Steven Stanhope, 37, of Robin Gardens in Waterlooville stole the shoes worth £59.99 from TK Maxx at Wellington Retail Park on Hambledon Road.

Stanhope was later arrested and charged with theft from a shop. He appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday 3 July where he admitted the offence. He was jailed for 18 weeks as his plea activated a suspended sentence he had previously received for a spate of shoplifting offences committed between October 2023 and February of this year.

Sergeant Ellie Waller said “This sentence send a clear message to thieves that we will not tolerate retail crime in Waterlooville and that we, and the courts, take these kinds of incidents very seriously.

“We will relentlessly pursue offenders and continue to work closely with commercial premises in the area to support the business community and the safety of their workers.”

To help protect your business:

• Make sure staff are able to use any appropriate security equipment such as panic alarms.
• Make sure CCTV cameras are in good working order, the position provides the best possible coverage and they are serviced annually.
• Remind staff to report any suspicious activity to the manager or the police. Details should also be recorded and include: date, time, description of person.

The community are our eyes and ears and we encourage you to report all incidents as soon as you are able to by calling 101 if it’s not an emergency.

You can also report suspicious activity online by visiting our website: https://www.hampshire.police.uk

If a crime is in progress, always call 999.