A pair of thieves who pinched more than £1,500 worth of goods from shops across Fareham and Gosport have been jailed.

Maya Brown, 25, and Luke Stapley, 39, went on a stealing spree between April and November last year.

Brown and Stapley, both of Gosport Road in Fareham, were charged with multiple counts of shoplifting, and pleaded guilty to the following offences:

  • Brown & Stapley both admitted theft of £234.47 worth of food and laundry detergent from Spar in Tukes Avenue, Gosport on April 28, 2023.
  • Brown & Stapley both admitted theft of £204.55 worth of food from BP in West Street, Portchester on May 15, 2023.
  • Brown & Stapley both admitted stealing bedding and a hoover totalling £76.98 from The Range in Gunners Way, Gosport on July 1, 2023.
  • Brown & Stapley both admitted theft of £262.85 worth of chocolate from Co-op in Stubbington Green on August 30, 2023.
  • Brown & Stapley both admitted theft of £366.40 worth of meat from Marks and Spencer in Brockhurst Gate on October 14, 2023.
  • Stapley admitted theft of £126.35 worth of alcohol from Alexander Hadleigh Wine Merchants in Locks Heath shopping centre on October 31, 2023.
  • Stapley admitted theft of £83 worth of alcohol and food from the Shell garage in Southampton Road, Titchfield, on November 7, 2023.
  • Brown admitted theft of £77.80 worth of food from the Shell garage in Southampton Road, Titchfield, on November 7, 2023.
  • Brown admitted theft of £84.50 worth of wine from Co-op in Dartmouth Court, Gosport, on November 16, 2023.

Appearing at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, both defendants were jailed for 40 weeks each.

Chief Inspector Chris Spellerberg, District Commander for both Fareham & Gosport, said: “The perception that shoplifting is not a victimless offence couldn’t be further from the truth.

"Retail workers are part of our communities and I recognise that repeated shoplifting in particular creates an environment of fear for many retail workers, leaving them to feel unsafe in their own workplaces.

"This is not acceptable. Retail workers should be free to go to work without fear of being threatened, intimidated and attacked, or have to watch this type of behaviour taking place."