A 35-year-old man from New Milton has been sentenced and handed an interim criminal behaviour order after admitting to stealing more than £400 worth of items from stores in New Milton, Totton and Brockenhurst.

David Graham Cullen, of Dinham Road, pleaded guilty to five shopliftings when he appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 2 April.

He was sentenced at the same court yesterday (Thursday 24 April) and handed a community order and rehabilitation activity requirement, up to a maximum of 20 days.

He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £114 and a fine of £80.

It follows one incident at Co-op, Brookley Road, Brockenhurst, one at Co-op, Salisbury Road, Totton and three at Superdrug, Station Road, New Milton.

He stole £171.50 worth of items from the Totton store, and £229.90 worth of goods from the New Milton shop.

All of the thefts took place between Monday 10 March and Thursday 20 March.

As part of the interim CBO, a full hearing for which will be heard at Southampton Magistrates’ Court, Cullen must not enter the following stores;

• Any Morrisons or Morrisons Daily in Hampshire
• Any One Stop in Hampshire
• Any Aldi in Hampshire
• Any Superdrug in Hampshire
• Any Co-op in Hampshire
• Any Welcome Store in Hampshire

He must also immediately leave any store, or business premises, when asked to do so by a member of staff.

He must place items that he wishes to purchase in a store/business premises in a basket or trolley provided by the store until they have been purchased. The basket or trolley must then be left behind.

He must not enter any retail or business premises from which he has been banned.

If Cullen fails to comply with the conditions of the CBO, he risks being arrested and further prosecuted.

PC Paul Broomfield, from Totton & New Forest Heart Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “I am pleased to see Cullen sentenced and now subject to an interim Criminal Behaviour Order, which will offer stores further protection from anymore thefts and losses at his hands.

Cullen has continually targeted shops across the district, showing no willingness to comply with the law in the process.

“We regularly target and prosecute shoplifters. However, securing this interim CBO provides additional restrictions which help us prevent and disrupt any potential further offending perpetrated by him.

“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. Repeat offences in particular can create an environment of fear for many retail workers, and this is simply not okay.

“We want to stop this criminality, and encourage businesses affected to please keep reporting crimes to us, so we can relentlessly pursue those responsible.

“Local policing teams put in a lot of work to support businesses, disrupt habitual offenders like Cullen, and also work with support services for those whose offending cycle is driven by other factors such as drug and alcohol dependency.”

If you are a shop owner or staff member, please continue to report any shopliftings to us.

You can do this by calling 101, or by reporting online via the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website.

How to tell us about an existing case or report | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

You can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or via the below link;

Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers

With your information, we can take action, including arresting and charging suspects and convicting offenders at court, as the above again demonstrates.