A Thanet thief has been jailed for 28 months after smashing his way into high street stores to steal perfume.
Between February 24 and May 23, 38-year-old Louis Sheehan, carried out a crime spree, targeting branches of Boots in Margate and Faversham on three occasions to ransack and steal from the perfume counters.
On April 7, he stole a bottle of Gucci Bamboo perfume from Debenhams in Broadstairs and hid it in a bag. He was then recognised by staff as having shoplifted there before, and was asked to leave. It was only after reviewing CCTV that staff realised he had already taken the perfume.
Sheehan was also caught on camera unsuccessfully trying to break his way into Smyths Toys store in Westwood Road, Broadstairs during the early hours of April 29.
During the two burglaries at Boots in Margate High Street, Sheehan was identified as the offender after he injured himself on the broken glass and left blood at the scene which officers were able to trace back to him.
When Sheehan was spotted burgling the Boots store in Preston Street, Faversham during the early hours of May 23, police were called.
Officers searched the area and Sheehan was seen, matching the description of the burglar, and a bag of perfumes were found nearby.
It is estimated that the value of perfumes stolen and damage caused to the businesses by Sheehan had totalled more than £24,000.
Sheehan, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary, one attempted burglary, one count of shoplifting and a charge of criminal damage at an earlier hearing, and on Wednesday, July 3 at Canterbury Crown Court he was sentenced to 28 months in prison.
Investigating officer PC Matthew Hoffmeister said: “Sheehan targeted a number of stores, looking for high-value goods, which could probably be sold on. His approach was cavalier and he even dared to return to one store twice, forcing his way through the boardings of the same window he had smashed the first time round.
“We would always advise people to buy perfume from legitimate sources, rather than from the back of a van or on street corners, otherwise you never know if you are helping to fund criminal activity or if the perfume has been tampered with in some way.”
