A PROLIFIC offender has been banned from three stores in Basildon for two years after being convicted of stealing almost £3,800 of goods.

Chelmsford magistrates made Brett Bruce, 32, the subject of a two-year criminal behaviour order (CBO), banning him from entering BP in East Mayne and Tesco Express & Morrisons Daily, both in Felmores End.

The court heard on 17 September 2024 that Bruce, of Malyons Close, stole a total of £3,794.64 of goods on multiple occasions from a variety of shops in the town between 12 February and 1 April 2024.

On 1 April, he was identified as stealing £500 of perishable goods from BP in Nether Mayne and was arrested in Devlins, later the same day.

PC Alex Plakhtienko, of our Business Crime Team, applied to the court for Bruce's criminal behaviour order (CBO).

He says: "We don't tolerate prolific and violent offenders who cause harm to businesses or their staff.

"CBOs are designed to tackle the most serious and persistent anti-social individuals. It is an offence to breach them and courts can impose a jail term or a fine, or both, for an adult convicted of breaching them.

"We encourage retailers to report shop thefts, assaults on staff and related anti-social behaviour to us and to provide us with evidence, such as CCTV footage, where they can. We will always look to prosecute where we have the evidence to do so."

You can report all crime and anti-social behaviour to police online at www.essex.police.uk/ro or, alternatively, you can ring 101. Always ring 999 if a crime is in progress.