A PERSISTENT Basildon shop thief has been jailed and banned from two shops in the town, after he admitted 11 offences.

David Pitcher, 47, was jailed for eight weeks after the town's magistrates heard the offences took place while he was subject to a crown court community order.

They involved the theft of hundreds of pounds of food, including meat, groceries and laundry products from Tesco Express in Felmores End and from BP in East Mayne, between 23 June and 2 August 2026. Pitcher sometimes stole from the Tesco store two or three times a day

Magistrates also imposed a two-year criminal behaviour order, banning Pitcher from entering BP in East Mayne and Tesco Express in Felmores End during that time. If he ignores the court order he faces another jail term.

The court was told Pitcher's 'targeted attacks' on BP and Tesco were 'aggravated by a very poor record of previous like offending'.

Pitcher, of Jenner Road, was arrested at home by an officer from Essex Police's Operational Support Group early on 8 August. He was also ordered to pay £162.50 compensation.