Chocolate craving Peterborough thief threatened store customers with knife to steal Galaxy bars

Lewis Howden (34) entered the One Stop convenience store in St Paul’s Road, New England, Peterborough, on January 29 at 6.20pm. He selected a full tray of Galaxy chocolate bars and placed them inside a large black bag.

Howden was walking towards the exit, without paying, when two members of staff stopped and challenged him. A customer then grabbed him by the back of his jacket when he tried to get past the staff.

Howden got a knife from his trousers and as the other backed away he left the shop.

Then, on February 19, police received a call from Boots in Queensgate where Howden had been caught stealing a bottle of Burberry perfume worth £59. Security staff detained him and police arrested him for theft.

In police interview Howden said he had planned to sell the perfume as he needed to pay his mother back and did not want to disappoint her as they had been getting along well.

Howden, of Burrows Court, off Dogsthorpe Road, pleaded guilty two to counts of theft from a shop and possession of a knife in a public place at a previous hearing.

Today (Friday, March 29) at Cambridge Crown Court he was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment.

Sergeant Rory Thompson said: “Howden’s actions were completely unnecessary and, while the items he stole may not seem significant, theft can easily escalate, and his use of a knife raises the risk and severity of the crime.

“Thanks to the quick actions of the Boots security staff Howden has now been stopped in his tracks.”