A prolific thief has been sent back to prison after being caught stealing from businesses in Mapperley, with his trademark can of Red Bull once again featuring in the evidence against him.
Reece Wheat, 29, was spotted walking into a shop on Plains Road, Mapperley, carrying a can of the energy drink before helping himself to goods from the store.
But his crime spree was short-lived.
Just minutes later, officers from the Gedling neighbourhood policing team stopped Wheat nearby and quickly uncovered evidence linking him to not one, but two thefts in the area.
When challenged by officers, Wheat reportedly admitted: “I’ve nicked some crisps, that’s it.”
The snacks had already been eaten by the time police caught up with him at around 10.45pm on July 24. However, officers also found two bags for life nearby.
A search of the bags uncovered around £200 worth of stolen goods that had been taken from a bakery on Breck Hill Road in Mapperley.
The incident is the latest chapter in Wheat’s lengthy history of offending.
He had only recently been released from prison after serving part of a sentence for a series of commercial burglaries and thefts committed last year.
In a twist that almost sounds too familiar, Wheat was previously linked to two break-ins through DNA evidence recovered from discarded cans of Red Bull he had been seen drinking during the burglaries.
And when detectives reviewed CCTV from last week’s offences, they found him once again carrying the same energy drink while allegedly committing crimes.
Images shown to the court also captured Wheat carrying a bag of stolen bakery stock in one hand, with his Red Bull and crisps in the other.
Faced with the evidence, Wheat, of Borlace Street, Leicester, pleaded guilty to shop theft and handling stolen goods at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on July 27.
He was jailed for eight weeks.
Inspector Steve King of Nottinghamshire Police praised officers for their swift response in Mapperley, saying the team’s quick actions led to Wheat being detained, stolen goods being recovered and local businesses being protected from further losses.
He added that neighbourhood officers remain committed to supporting shops across the area and taking immediate action against repeat offenders targeting local businesses.
The recovered stock was returned after officers caught the thief red-handed just streets away from the businesses he had targeted in Mapperley.
