Criminal Behaviour Order handed to persistent shoplifter from Widnes

A persistent shoplifter from Widnes has been handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

Jack Welch, of Terrace Road, predominantly targets stores in Runcorn.

The 23-year-old was jailed for four weeks by Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Friday 14 February.

He was convicted of five counts of theft from a shop.

The offences were all committed in Runcorn – at a Co-op store on Thursday 23 January and Tuesday 4 February, at a B&M shop on Wednesday 22 January and Tuesday 28 January and at a Lloyds Pharmacy on Thursday 30 January.

They are among a string of shoplifting offences Welch has been convicted of.

He also has previous convictions for serious acquisitive crime, possession with intent to supply class A drugs and threatening behaviour.

Welch returned to Warrington Magistrates’ Court for a CBO hearing on Friday 27 March.

The five-year CBO imposed by the court bans him from:

• Behaving in a way that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to anyone in Cheshire
• Entering Runcorn, unless to attend a pre-arranged probation service appointment
• Using a self-service checkout at any retail premises in Cheshire
• Placing any item for sale in anything other than a shopping basket or trolley prior to payment being made at retail premises in Cheshire
• Concealing any item for sale on his person at any retail premises in Cheshire
• Concealing his face or head when entering any retail premises in Cheshire
• Having more than one mobile phone in his possession
• Possessing a mobile phone which has not been registered in his name.

The court also ordered Welch to adhere to a drug rehabilitation centre requirement.

Police Constable Chris Roberts, of the Halton Problem Solving Team, said: “CBOs are preventative orders that are designed to stop persistent offenders committing further offences.

“They are applied for and imposed as a last resort.

“In the case of Jack Welch, he is a persistent offender with a series of shoplifting convictions and has shown no signs of ceasing his criminal behaviour.

“There comes a point when you have to say enough is enough and take additional action to protect stores from being targeted.

“The coronavirus pandemic is having a significant financial impact on businesses and the last thing that retail premises in Halton need is to continue to be targeted by a prolific shoplifter like Welch.

“The CBO bans Welch from going to Runcorn, to reduce the likelihood of him committing offences.

“He has been made aware that it is an offence to breach the terms of a CBO.

“I hope that the CBO has the desired effect and prevents Welch from shoplifting or committing any other offence in Halton or anywhere else in Cheshire over the coming weeks, months and years.

“I also hope that Welch changes his ways, for his own sake as well as for the sake of retail premises and the people living and working in Halton.”

Anyone who encounters Welch breaching any of the above restrictions over the next five years is asked to contact Cheshire Constabulary on 101 to report it.