Terrorising Leeds shoplifter who stole £3,700 of goods is jailed and handed ban from retail park
A shoplifter who stole thousands of pounds worth of goods from shops across Leeds during a four-month spree has been locked up.
Thomas Collett has also been banned from the stores and even from a retail park by way of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), which allows him to be fast-tracked back to prison should be breach it.
The 29-year-old was also involved in an ugly knife-fight incident on a Leeds street in which he locked himself into a stranger’s home. The terrified homeowner had to climb out of a window to escape.
Collett admitted 19 counts of theft at Leeds Crown Court, two counts of possession of a bladed article, assaulting an emergency worker and failing to surrender to custody.
The court heard he targeted numerous stores between October last year and February. They included Boots at Thorpe Park and Kirkstall, Tesco in Garforth, Dunelm, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and the Co-op on Swarcliffe Avenue.
The items taken included perfume, razors, deodorant, bedding, chocolate and coffee.
He would sometimes be with a male or female accomplice and when Collett was challenged at the Co-op he told one staff member: “I’m taking them, and if you touch me I will inflict violence.”
He was detained by security on one occasion, and found to be carrying a six-inch kitchen knife.
Having been arrested he tried to bite one police officer and bit the back of the hand of another. The total value of the items he stole came to a staggering £3,700.
But before his stealing spree, Collett had been involved in a street fight in Micklefield on September 6 last year.
Doorbell camera footage from a house, which was played to the court, showed Collett armed with a lengthy kitchen knife and running towards the front door as he defended himself against other men carrying weapons.
He banged on the door and was heard to shout: “Help me, they are all battering me.”
Collett got inside the home and locked the door to stop the men from following him. The resident then escaped through a window.
Collett, of Ramshead Gardens, Seacroft, appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
He has 39 convictions for 119 offences, including 71 for theft.
Mitigating, Stuart Field said Collett’s mother was involved in drugs before her death and he spent much of his childhood in the care system.
He said Collett’s own involvement in taking drugs had “driven” his offending. He said Collett “wishes to express his apologies and remorse”.
The judge, Recorder Andrew Haslam KC, gave him a three-year jail sentence, while the CBO will run for four years.
He is banned from Co-op and Tesco stores, The Springs Retail Park, and leave any shop when instructed by staff.