By Sophie Skyring
Reporter
Mark Smith Jailed for Stealing Over £400 in Chocolate from WH Smith
A notorious chocolate thief, Mark Smith, 41, has been sentenced to 28 weeks in prison after he stole over £400 worth of confectionery from a WH Smith store in Peterborough. Smith, who has no fixed residence, was caught on CCTV stealing large quantities of chocolate on several occasions.
Smith was arrested in Hinchcliffe, Orton Goldhay, following his thefts from the shop, where he targeted high-value chocolate products. He faced two counts of theft and was also charged with breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), which had been imposed after a previous theft incident at a Tesco store in Orton Wistow on August 18.
At Cambridge Magistrates’ Court, Smith was sentenced to 28 weeks in prison for his repeated thefts. In addition to his custodial sentence, he was ordered to pay £75 in compensation to the WH Smith store.
Smith was also issued a two-year CBO, which prohibits him from entering any Tesco, Spar, or Co-Op stores in Peterborough. Authorities have stressed the importance of enforcing these orders to prevent repeat offenses and protect businesses from persistent offenders.
