Cambs man, 36, finally caught after significant crime spree

He admitted nine counts of theft from a shop as well as the theft of a Land Rover

A thief has been jailed after he was caught on camera stealing from a shop and then driving away in a stolen car. Thomas Smiley, 36, was captured on CCTV entering the Co-op in Eye Road, Eye, near Peterborough, on April 30.

He was then seen stealing various items totalling £180. He was then caught driving away from the shop in a black Land Rover that had been taken from outside a house in Wordsworth Close, Walton, five days before.

At the time, Smiley was due to appear in court for two thefts from a shop, theft of a bank card and the theft of a red Toyota Yaris from a car park in Fletton Quays in January. Smiley was arrested by the spree offender team on May 27, but not before he had committed a further six shop thefts across the city, stealing up to £687 worth of items.

Smiley, of Lincoln Road, Walton, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday, June 5. There, he was jailed for 20 weeks after admitting nine counts of theft from a shop, taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, driving without insurance, driving without a licence, theft of a motor vehicle and theft from a motor vehicle.

He was also handed a 14-month driving ban and ordered to pay £50 in compensation. PC Jack Jenkins, from the northern spree offender team, said: “Smiley had a blatant disregard for the law as he continued to offend despite being subject to court proceedings, and was even brazen enough to commit a theft while using a stolen car.”