Shoplifters caught on A12 with £20k in stolen items from stores like Boots and Next, following a police chase.
It started at Stane Park in Colchester. The pair targeted Boots and Next stores. Police stopped their Ford Focus January 19. Cops linked them to eleven thefts countywide. They also hit Chelmsford’s Next and Boots. One man used a special jacket for theft. He cut the lining to hide items.
Thomas McDonagh is 21 and from Oxford. He faces eight theft charges. The thefts occurred between December and January. He stole nearly £20,000 worth of goods.
Martin Stokes, 23, is from Buckinghamshire. He faces one theft count. He also faces two charges related to the jackets. Both men confessed to their crimes.
The court sentenced them February 27. It happened at Chelmsford Crown Court. McDonagh got 16 months in prison. He also received a five-year order. He can’t enter any Next in England or Wales. He also can’t enter any Boots in Essex.
Stokes got 16 weeks, suspended for 18 months. He has to do 80 hours of unpaid work. PC Dominic Potts commented on the case. He stated the value of the thefts was large. Police build strong cases to bring offenders to court. They aim to protect businesses from harm and work hard to catch repeat offenders.