Shoplifter jailed after targeting shops in Swindon

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed for 26 weeks after repeatedly targeting shops around Swindon and assaulting retail staff when he was challenged.

31 year-old Joshua Moss, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of shoplifting and four counts of assault by beating, with a further four thefts taken into consideration.

PC Paul Bezzant of the Swindon Central South NPT said: “We appreciate the significant frustration and community concern around shoplifters and retail crime.

“As we have said before, it is not a victimless crime. Retail staff are often subjected to assault, as is the case with Moss on a number of occasions, and businesses financially suffer.

“The loss from shoplifting is then factored into the pricing across the store, making products more expensive for the general public.

“Moss is a prolific offender and I’m pleased the judge has given him a custodial sentence.

“The court has also put a CBO against him following an application by Wiltshire Police for when he is released in order to protect the community from the sort of harassment, alarm or distress that we have seen in this case.”