Prolific criminal who threatened to stab staff member with needle jailed

Lee Andrews (45) was jailed for 30 weeks at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court last Thursday (July 18) after pleading guilty to a raft of offences.

The court heard how Andrews repeatedly stole from shops, sheds and cars despite being handed a conditional discharge in March after he stole nearly £800 worth of tools from a shed in Chestnut Grove, St Neots.

On the afternoon of April 1 he walked into the Co-op in Great North Road, Little Paxton, and stole 12 steaks worth £65.

The following day he returned to the store, put 17 jars of coffee worth £46 in a bag and threatened to stab a member of staff with a needle before walking out.

On the night of April 30 he smashed his way into a grey Ford KA, which was parked in Whitehall Walk, St Neots, and stole a sat nav and an Easter egg. He was linked to the theft by blood found on the broken window.

On the night of May 17 he broke into a shed in Henbrook, St Neots, and stole a mountain bike, a pressure washer and tools worth a total of £730.

On June 29 he broke into a shed in Avenue Road and stole £160 worth of tools.

On July 16 he was seen walking out of Longsands Academy carrying a set of bolt cutters and could not give a legitimate reason for doing so.

Andrews, of Cromwell Gardens, St Neots, was arrested in the early hours of July 17 in Viscount Close, St Neots.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from a shop, two counts of burglary, theft from a motor vehicle, going equipped for theft, using threatening behaviour to cause fear of violence and breaching a conditional discharge.

PC Peter Andrews said: “Andrews is a prolific criminal who regularly preyed on the residents of St Neots.

“It is clear previous interventions haven’t stopped his often brazen offending but hopefully this sentence will reassure the public that action has been taken.”