Shoplifter stole trolley of goods to feed kids and fund £60 heroin addiction
A trolley dash shoplifter stole hundreds of pounds worth of goods to pay his bills and fund a heroin habit.
Martin Whitmore, who has 18 previous convictions for 34 offences, began his crime spree at an Iceland store in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent where he left a trolley full of items and walked out without paying.
He has been handed a 12-month conditional discharge at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, reports Stoke-on-Trent Live, as magistrates recognised he is making efforts to try to turn his life around.
Prosecutor Suzanne Swindail:"He left with a trolley full of items valued at £100. He walked around the store selecting items before leaving without making any effort to pay. He was arrested and he further admitted stealing items worth £71.34 from Tesco, Hanley."
In a police interview, he admitted his plan was to steal high value items to sell so he could pay bills, feed his children and pay for his drug habit. He was using heroin and crack cocaine, which he estimated cost him £60 a day. Whitmore, from the Sneyd Green area of Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to eight charges of shop theft.
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Richard Oldroyd, mitigating, said Whitmore was attacked last year over a drug debt and he and his family had to leave their home. Mr Oldroyd said: "They were staying in temporary accommodation and he went back to abusing drugs. He has managed to get himself off drugs and is not driven to shoplifting to fund any drug habit."
Magistrates sentenced Whitmore to a 12-month community order. They ordered him to pay a total of £519.42 compensation to the stores which did not have the goods returned. Chairman of the bench, Mark OIszewski said: "We recognise the efforts you have taken to turn your life around." Whitmore was also ordered to pay a £26 surcharge.
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