One of the couple also stole from Home Bargains, Waitrose, and Next while on bail

A couple worked together to steal hundreds of pounds worth of items from a Peterborough filling station. The Peterborough pair stole from the same place four times, and one continued to steal while on bail from the likes of Home Bargains and Next.

Lewis Howden, 40, and Charlotte Ritchie, 39, stole almost £500 of goods from the BP filling station, in Bretton, across four visits between February 5 and February 10. However Howden continued committing crimes after he was arrested.

The pair were arrested at their home in Tyesdale, Bretton, on February 11, and charged with the offences. Each was bailed by a court pending a further hearing, which Ritchie failed to attend.

While on court bail, Howden committed a further three thefts in Peterborough. He stole from Waitrose, in Mayors Walk, West Town, Peterborough, on February 23, Home Bargains, in Bourges Boulevard, on February 24, and Next, in Brotherhood Retail Park, on March 2.

The pair were arrested again on March 11 and appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court the following day. Howden was jailed for ten months and ordered to pay £207.99 in compensation after admitting seven thefts.

Ritchie was ordered to pay £234 in compensation and handed a two-year conditional discharge. It means that if she commits another crime during that period, she can be sentenced for the four thefts, which she also admitted.

PC Jack Jenkins, who investigated, said: “I would like to thank the businesses impacted by the pair’s offending for continually reporting incidents to us. This helps us to identify those involved and put them before the courts.”