A prolific shoplifter banned from Arnold’s high street has been jailed after threatening a Nottingham city centre store manager before fleeing with stolen items.
The court heard Kristan King is currently under a Criminal Behaviour Order which prevents him from attending Front Street in Arnold due to previous shoplifting offences – and that his offending had recently moved to Nottingham city centre.
Kristan King entered Sainsbury’s Local, in Wheeler Gate on Saturday (26) and grabbed two bottles of wine before heading for the exit without paying.
When the store manager challenged him about payment, King reportedly shouted back: “Try stopping me and I will break the glass bottle on your head.”
The 49-year-old then walked out the store with the items.
Magistrates heard the incident happened shortly before 5.30pm and that minutes later he returned to steal another two bottles of wine.
A description of King was provided to police who found him nearby in Old Market Square.
They arrested him and he was charged with two counts of theft and using threatening words with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
King appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday (28) and pleaded guilty to all three counts.
Magistrates jailed him for 12 weeks and ordered him to pay £104.50 in compensation.
PC Serena Ali, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “King is a prolific shoplifter who has caused serious issues for a number of retail stores.
“He has repeatedly walked into shops and made no attempt to hide the fact he was grabbing items from shelves and leaving without paying.
“Making violent threats towards shop staff who are simply trying to do their job by confronting him is completely unacceptable.
“I am pleased the court has given him a custodial sentence and hope this sends a clear message that we take shoplifting very seriously. We will pursue offenders and put them before the courts.”
