A 36-year-old Swindon man, whose theft of an entire chocolate display stand was rumbled by CCTV, has been handed a 16-month prison sentence.
David Mundy, whose address is listed as Farndale Close, admitted to 31 separate criminal acts, including the Christmas Day heist.
Among his offences was the brazen theft of confectionery valued at £75 from a Morrisons supermarket in Penhill on December 25.
Security camera footage captured Mundy walking briskly into the store before crouching down to grab the display at the entrance.
He could then be seen quickly scanning for watchful eyes before dragging the unit towards the door.
Mundy then stood straight as he waddled out of the store, lifting the display laden with sweet treats.
The offences were committed across multiple retailers in Swindon, including Tesco, Morrisons and Co-Op stores, during a period spanning from December 12 to January 9.
Mundy’s charges comprised 15 counts of theft alongside 15 violations of a Criminal Behaviour Order that had been imposed in November in an attempt to curb his offending.
David Mundy was caught on CCTV in a brazen chocolate heist from Morrisons
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WILTSHIRE POLICE
He also faced one charge of attempted theft and a single count of assault.
The man’s guilty pleas were entered at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Wiltshire Police had previously secured the behavioural order as a preventative measure against further criminal activity by Mundy.
PC Will Cooper said: “We are pleased with the outcome in this case, in which David Mundy, a prolific Swindon shoplifter, has been convicted after being charged with 32 offences.
The man made off with £75 worth of confectionary
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WILTSHIRE POLICE
The officer described Mundy as a persistent offender whose conviction should provide comfort to shop owners across the town that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
“We hope that this reassures local businesses that repeat offending is taken seriously, and we encourage retailers and the wider community to continue reporting incidents via 101, or 999 in an emergency,” PC Cooper said.
“The information you provide is vital in helping us identify offenders.”
A Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) remains in effect following Mundy’s sentencing.
Mundy’s sentencing comes as a former criminology lecturer who proudly called herself “the UK’s poshest thief” dodged prison after pilfering nearly £12,000 worth of alcohol from Sainsbury’s.
Pauline Al Said, 35, walked away from Southampton Crown Court with an 18-month suspended sentence after admitting to stealing £11,964 in expensive vodka, gin, prosecco and wine over a nine-month shoplifting spree.
The Polish-born academic, who previously worked at Bath Spa University, carried out what the court described as a “campaign of high-value shoplifting” to fund a drug addiction.
She claims to have moved to Britain at the age of 17, and has spent time living in the Middle East, which she says gave her “a deeper appreciation for different cultures, perspectives, and ways of life”.