City Centre Ban For Prolific Shoplifter As Christmas Theft Campaign Continues

Thursday, 14 December 2023 10:43

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed and given a two-year ban from Leeds city centre as part of ongoing work to tackle retail theft in the run-up to Christmas.

Andrew Milnes targeted the John Lewis store on three occasions stealing fragrance and electric toothbrush heads worth about £1,000.

Milnes, aged 56, of Shakespeare Approach, Burmantofts, was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment when he appeared at Leeds Magistrates Court last week.

Following an application by specialist anti-social behaviour link officer PC Phil Underdown, from Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team, magistrates also imposed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order which includes an exclusion from the city centre on his release from prison.

The order bars him from entering the area bordered by and including Inner Ring Road, Willow Terrace Road, Calverley Street, Portland Street, Great George Street, Inner Ring Road, Westgate, East Parade, King Street, Wellington Street, New Station Street, Swinegate, The Calls, Call Lane, High Court, Kirkgate, St Peters Street and Eastgate, Crown Point Road, Bowman Lane, Waterloo Street, Hunslet Road, Bridge End, Sovereign Street, Neville Street, Bishopgate Street except to attend court, probation, solicitors, DWP or hospital for either personal medical treatment or visiting a relative who is an inpatient.

It also prohibits him from being in possession of any drugs paraphernalia, glue, gases, solvents or aerosols intended for substance misuse, anywhere within West Yorkshire.

He cannot be in possession of any medication not prescribed by a medically licenced professional and not intended for use by him, other than over-the-counter medication, anywhere within West Yorkshire.

The order also specifically bans him from entering any JD Sports, Fishing Republic, The Hip Store, Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors, GO Outdoors, Size?, Naylors, Infinities, Wellgosh, Oi Polloi, Tiso, Wheelbase, and Sports Direct stores in West Yorkshire.

Any breach of the order means he commits a criminal offence and can be arrested and prosecuted and could receive a further prison sentence.

The action against Milnes comes as part of an ongoing operation by officers from the Leeds City Neighbourhood Policing Team who are focusing increased activity around shops in the busy city centre at a time of year when there can traditionally be an increase in offences.

This initiative builds on problem-solving work that the team has been carrying out with support from partner agencies since mid-October that has resulted in 24 arrests.

Inspector Natasha Tierney, who heads the Leeds City Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Prolific offenders like Milnes, who repeatedly target city centre shops to steal high value goods to fund substance abuse, have a very significant negative impact on our retailers.

“We recognise the understandable concern this causes them, both financially and in terms of staff safety, and we are continuing to actively engage with retailers to support them in preventing shoplifting offences and catching and deterring those responsible.

“The use of Criminal Behaviour Orders against prolific offenders is a key element of our increased focus, and we hope this latest action will help to give some further reassurance to the retail community in the city centre.

“We will be continuing to work closely with retailers and our key partners, including Safer Leeds, Leeds Business Improvement District, Businesses Against Crime In Leeds and Leeds City Centre Management, to maintain a longer-term problem-solving approach and will keep doing everything we can to respond to their concerns.”

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