Peterborough shoplifter who stole £80 of Cadbury's chocolate to spend Christmas behind bars

A shoplifter who was described as a “menace” by a judge has been sent to prison for 12 weeks.

Michelle Blades, who has 83 theft offences against her name, was arrested at the Ortongate Shopping Centre on Tuesday afternoon (12 December) by neighbourhood policing officers on patrol in the area.

The officers were approached by a member of the public who pointed out Blades and stated she had just stolen from Poundland.

As officers approached her, she dropped a carrier bag containing 23 cans of deodorant she had just stolen from the store, resulting in her arrest.

Blades, 41, of Dogsthorpe Road, Dogsthorpe, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (13 December) where she was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison and ordered to pay £229 in compensation to Co-op after admitting four counts of theft from a shop.

A Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) has also been put in place in a bid to stop Blades shoplifting again.

Offences admitted by Blades

Theft of Cadbury chocolate worth £79.90 from Co-op, Oundle Road, on 20 November

Theft of 40 chocolate bars from Co-op, Oundle Road, on 27 November

Theft of 15 bottles of washing up liquid from Co-op, Oundle Road, on 3 December

Theft of 23 cans of deodorant worth £80.50 from Poundland, Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 12 December

PC Carter-Lawrence, who investigated, said: “Blades is a prolific shoplifter who has been targeting Co-op stores in the past. She has an active Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) which prohibits her from entering certain stores where she has been offending.

“Having this order in place gives us greater powers to stop Blades’ offending and put her before the courts if she breaches it.”

What the Criminal Behaviour Order says

The two-year CBO states Blades must:

Not enter Co-operative store in Oundle Road, Peterborough

Not enter Botolph Bridge Pharmacy

Not enter Poundland in Ortongate Shopping Centre, Peterborough

Anyone with information about Blades breaching the CBO should contact Cambridgeshire police via the web chat service or online forms at www.cambs.police.uk/report. Those without internet access should call 101.