Man’s £20,000 shoplifting left staff ‘on edge’

A man has been jailed after stealing £20,000 worth of goods in a shoplifting spree.

Daniel Hayward, of Evesham Road, targeted a number of shops in his hometown of Cheltenham, stealing sunglasses, perfume, electronics and more.

The 40-year-old was sentenced to 16 months in prison after appearing at Gloucester Crown Court.

An employee at one of the Gloucestershire companies targeted by Hayward said staff had been “on edge ever since”.

In one incident, Hayward stole 21 pairs of sunglasses, worth £10,090, from Boots.

A month later he attacked the same store using a keypad to enter through the staff entrance and stole 18 pairs of sunglasses worth £4,750. It is not known how Hayward knew the security code.

Another day he walked into WHSmith, filled a suitcase with Lego, totalling £300, and walked out.

“Incredibly pissed off”

An employee at one store said shoplifting caused “a huge amount of emotional stress, anxiety, fear, pressure, worry and so much more.”

They added that they felt “incredibly disturbed” to learn that Hayward had wandered into the store before it opened.

“I’ve been on edge ever since, like many of the staff. I’m afraid of who might be lurking around the corner.

“How did he get the code? Was he monitoring us? What else is he capable of?”

“Hayward has targeted our store on a number of occasions and whilst he is not violent in the way some offenders are, the distress he causes to staff and the knock-on effect he has on us is significant,” they said.

Hayward was sentenced July 29 after pleading guilty to one count of burglary and one count of retail theft at an earlier hearing.

Responding to the sentencing, Police Officer Will Hayes said shoplifting was “not a victimless crime” as it “profoundly affects” businesses and the community.

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