A shoplifter who said he couldn’t remember the reason he stole more than £600 worth of clothing from a shop in Yarmouth has been handed a compensation order.
Alex Cooper, 27, of Oaklyn Gardens in Shanklin, admitted a single charge of theft from a shop when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Prosecuting, Lauren McConnell, told
The court heard that, on the 14th December 2024, Cooper – and another, unknown individual – entered Harwoods in Yarmouth and stole 3 coats to the value of £625. Cooper was later identified by Police and made admissions to the theft during Police interview.
The 27-year-old, with a total of 24 convictions on his record for around 80 offences, admitted to having already sold 2 of the coats, keeping the third for himself.
Defending, Nick Muir told the court that his client couldn’t remember the exact reason for the offending.
Cooper was ordered to pay compensation of £625, but the court noted that Cooper has more than £4,000 worth of fines, compensation and costs on account.
So he steals gods to the alue of £625 and has now to pay for them but receives no penalty for the crime of theft? No wonder he has a string of offences as long as your arm, especially since he is clearly not going to pay the compensation judging by the outstanding £4k. Time Mr Cooper was properly sentenced so that he can learn that crime doesn’t pay. At the moment, all the evidence available to him demonstrates that it does.