A man has been sentenced to prison after police uncovered more than £4,000 worth of stolen goods during an arrest in Chippenham.
Asa Manders, 49, of Bristol Road, Cromhall, was arrested on October 14 after officers were called to Sainsbury’s on Bath Road. Store staff reported suspicious behaviour at the tills, where Manders paid for a small number of items before leaving the shop with approximately £500 worth of unpaid goods.
The stolen items included food products, chocolate, meat, and seasonal decorations for Halloween and Christmas.
Officers attended the scene and arrested Manders. Further enquiries led police to discover an additional £3,500 worth of suspected stolen goods linked to him.
Duty Inspector Stefan Telford said Manders initially claimed he had travelled to the supermarket from Gloucestershire using public transport. However, officers became suspicious and located a Mercedes box van parked in a corner of the supermarket car park, which was registered to Manders.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a large quantity of stolen items, including alcohol and multiple food products.
Manders was remanded in custody and appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on October 15, where he pleaded guilty to theft from a shop. He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison.
Duty Insp Telford said Manders was a prolific offender and praised the work of officers at the scene, adding he was pleased a custodial sentence had been imposed.
