Serial Doncaster thief who committed 19 thefts worth over £2,000 in a 23-day crime spree has been jailed

Jack Allchurch, 29, was caught on CCTV during all of his crimes as he stole over £2,000 worth of products from two One Stop shops in Balby over a 23-day period.

The 29-year-old stole array of items, including cans of deodorant, jars of coffee, dog treats and chocolate.

Allchurch was identified by officers within South Yorkshire Police’s retail crime team and by staff in the stores he stole from, following work by Doncaster Central Neighbourhood Policing Team.

The 29-year-old was arrested and once the evidence was presented against him, Allchurch pleaded guilty to 19 counts of theft.

Allchurch, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to one year in prison at Doncaster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (Sept 18).

Doncaster Central NPT Sergeant Steve Roberts said: "Allchurch's offending was prolific and impulsive as he grabbed whatever items he could off the shelves before making a quick exit from the store.

"He had no intention of ever paying for those products and thanks to all the intelligence and evidence gathered against him, we've been able to secure justice with Allchurch given a significant custodial sentence.

"Shoplifters might think they are untouchable but that couldn't be further from the truth.

"We have worked hard in Doncaster to build strong partnerships with businesses and key partner agencies, and our dedicated retail crime team within Central NPT gathers vital intelligence on known shoplifters which in turns ensures that justice prevails.

"We want to encourage the public and businesses to continue helping us tackle retail crime by reporting shoplifting incidents to us as soon as possible. This allows us to quickly identify offenders, spot patterns of behaviour and deliver justice.”