Man jailed after goods stolen
A man has been jailed after stealing nearly £750 worth of goods from shops across Stoke-on-Trent, Stone and Stafford.
Last updated 11th Feb 2026
Alex Hilditch, 28, from Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to eight months in prison at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on Monday (9 February).
He admitted five counts of theft from a shop and two counts of breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).
Between 19 January and 6 February, a total of £742 worth of goods were stolen from stores on Werrington Road in Stoke-on-Trent, Queensville in Stafford, and Stafford Road in Stone.
Hilditch also breached a CBO by entering a shop on Werrington Road twice on 19 January, despite being prohibited from doing so.
He was arrested by officers carrying out #problemsolvingpolicing patrols. Since the crackdown launched in May last year, officers have spent more than 13,000 hours on the beat tackling issues affecting local communities.
When interviewed in custody, Hilditch responded ‘no comment’ to all questions. However, officers continued to gather evidence, leading to him pleading guilty in court just two days later.
Sergeant Adam Charlesworth, of the City Intervention Team (CIT), who worked on the case, said:
“Our team work proactively to tackle issues that matter most to local people and businesses.
“Between September and December 2025, CIT dealt with around 310 incidents in Stoke-on-Trent and made 130 arrests, significantly reducing the workload of other officers and meaning that investigations move more quickly, and victims see results much faster.
“I hope this result demonstrates that we do not underestimate the impact that theft has upon local businesses, and we will take robust action against those responsible.”
To find out more about the work of the City Intervention Team in tackling local issues, visit the Staffordshire Police website.