A shoplifter who stole 800 creme eggs in a crime spree has been jailed.

Layton Richards, 29, was a menace to shops across Hampshire, Dorset and West Sussex, targeting many shops including 13 Co-Op stores.

During his spree between Saturday, January 6 and Thursday, April 18, Richards stole £3463.96 worth of goods from 19 different stores, including a total of 798 Cadbury’s Crème Eggs.

He was charged with 24 shoplifting offences: 21 in Hampshire - specifically Hedge End, Portsmouth, Waterlooville, Emsworth, Liphook, Gosport and Fareham - two in Bournemouth and one in West Sussex, namely the Co-Op store on The Parade, East Wittering.

Richards, of Brownlow Close in Portsmouth, was jailed for eight months at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Friday (July 26).

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s retail crime lead, Chief Inspector Marcus Cator, said: “This sentence is just one result of an ongoing and dedicated focus on targeting our most prolific offenders as effectively as possible.

“We have been working in strong partnership with retailers regarding offenders who repeatedly target stores and victims with their persistent, and often intimidating, criminality.

“As a result of this collaboration with retail partners, we have been able to ensure that we are sharing information and evidence more effectively, resulting in stronger cases being presented to the Crown Prosecution Service.

“We want to continue sending the message to repeat offenders that their behaviour, and the impact it has on its victims, is not acceptable, while also receiving any support they require to help steer them away from shoplifting.

“It is important that we continue to focus on retail crime, protecting victims and ensuring that offenders are held to account for their criminality.”

Southern Co-Op Loss Prevention & Security Manager Gareth J Lewis said: “This outcome is yet another positive example of our ongoing collaborative work with Hampshire Police.

"The only way for the business community to tackle the evidenced increase in retail crime and the issues that drive the individuals offending, is to work together and to provide the police (and other agencies), with the information and evidence required.”