Police name and shame thief plaguing town's high street

Graham McDonald is the first subject of a new scheme launched by North Yorkshire Police which is aimed at highlighting some of the county's worst repeat offenders.

Officers from the county force have warned criminals who are responsible for a wave of offences that they can expect to have their identities publicised on posters, leaflets and via the media.

Police have stressed that the publicising of offenders' details is also a means of deterring them from breaching the terms of their court orders and to reduce the likelihood of them re-offending.

Sergeant Simon Wilson, a member of the Northallerton Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "People who commit crimes at the expense of our communities and disrupt the lives of our residents deserve to be exposed. It is unacceptable that criminals can go about their illegal activities without the public knowing who they are.

"This new scheme allows us to let people know the identity of individuals who are blighting their area and give them the chance to report any further offending.

"We are also hoping that by highlighting the behaviour of offenders it will make them think twice before re-offending which can only have a positive effect in terms of crime levels throughout North Yorkshire and York."

McDonald, 34, has plagued a number of retail outlets in Northallerton and has now been banned from several stores in the town.

He was given a Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Order (CRASBO) at Northallerton Magistrates' Court last month, which barred him from all retail premises on the High Street in Northallerton.

He is also banned from Sainsbury's, Tesco, Sam Turner & Sons on Darlington Road, B&Q on Yafforth Road, and Homebase and Halfords on Willow Beck Road.

Members of the public are urged to contact members of the Northallerton Safer Neighbourhood Team if they see McDonald in any of the shops he is prevented from entering.

The safer neighbourhood team can be contacted via North Yorkshire Police's switchboard on 0845 6060247.