Colchester shoplifter sentenced to 18 months for 33 thefts
Operation Valuable helped arrest Daniel Jones
A Colchester man has been jailed for 18 months after admitting to a series of thefts, including stealing Easter eggs worth £187 from a Co-op store.
Daniel Jones, 38, of Spruce Avenue, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on 30th March after ignoring a two-year criminal behaviour order that prohibited him from entering any Co-op store in Essex on 31 occasions.
Jones's actions resulted in a total loss of £2,926.73 for the four stores he targeted, as heard by the court.
He was arrested on 6th February, found cowering inside a divan bed at his home by neighbourhood policing officers.
This arrest was part of Operation Valuable, an initiative by the Colchester Neighbourhood Policing Team to combat shoplifting through increased store visits, high-visibility patrols, and engagement with staff to identify suspects.
The spree began on 12th April 2025 when Jones stole Easter eggs and cakes from a Co-op store in Witham.
His thefts continued, targeting coffee and chilled meats valued at £123 from a Co-op in Greenstead, Colchester on 31st January 2026.
Jones also focused on the M&S store at Ipswich Road, stealing chilled meats both on 13th January and again on 19th January.
The stolen goods included coffee pots, pet food, detergents, and household items from multiple Co-op stores, including those in Harwich Road, Colchester.
Jones received a 12-month sentence for thefts and order breaches and is required to serve an additional six months due to a previous suspended jail term.
He was further ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge.