Leigh Park shop burglar stole up to £800 from till at convenience store
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Ricky Shields, 41, took between £700 and 800 from the Post Office area at Elly’s Convenience Store in Park Parade, Leigh Park, last week.
He was caught on CCTV, arrested and in court admitted burgling the store at around 7pm and was handed a six-month jail term suspended for a year – and banned from the store for a year.
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Hide AdShop owner Bhavi Patel said Shields had ‘no shame’ and has seen him in the area since he was sentenced at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Mrs Patel told The News: ‘He should not be out at all – he should be in (prison).
‘He’s got no shame on him, if it was me I wouldn’t go round the same places.
‘He needs to be staying in prison.'
Shields was able to steal the cash on April 6 in a moment the cash was unguarded, she added.
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Hide AdMrs Patel said: ‘It’s not a great thing to do - we’ve got many customers, it's more likely that all of them are loyal.
‘It's rare that this happens.’
Shields, of Greywell Road, Leigh Park, was on licence when he stole the cash. He must now complete a four-month electronically-tagged curfew between 9pm-5am.
District judge Gary Lucie ordered him to pay £700 compensation and a £122 victim surcharge.
Shields has a previous record.
Mrs Patel said business was doing well despite the coronavirus lockdown but the store has reduced its opening hours.