Shoplifter jailed and banned from every Fareham Co-op after a spate of thefts

James Durber, 40, of no fixed abode, admitted to six theft charges at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Friday, February 21. Between December and February he took £765 worth of items from Co-ops on Highlands Road and Westbury Road, as well as from the Boots in Westbury Mall.

He was sentenced to 16 months and was also handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning him from all Fareham Co-ops, and from entering any business if does not have the means to pay for goods.

If asked to leave a premises he must go immediately without using any aggressive or abusive language. If he breaches these conditions it could lead to a further arrest or prosecution.

PC Tom Pickup, from Fareham Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Retail staff work really hard, and shouldn’t ever have to go to work with the fear that they may be subjected to abuse, or have to deal with shoplifting or anti-social behaviour.

“Durber is a habitual offender who repeatedly steals large quantities of goods, which has continued to impact businesses in Fareham.

“Where shoplifting is reported to police, we will make every effort to identify and arrest those responsible, and use other tactics at our disposal – such as applying for CBOs – to limit re-offending and take further action against those whose offending persists.

“There can a number of reasons why someone might repeatedly steal – it varies from individual to individual, but it can often be driven by addiction issues. Police work closely with local services who can provide support to those with addictions.

“We want the community to keep reporting incidents of anti-social behaviour and business crime in Fareham to police, so we can continue to work with partners to address these behaviours, and take appropriate action against any criminal offences.”

Durber admitted to the following charges:

• Theft of £130 of goods from Boots in Westbury Mall on December 12, 2024.
• Theft of £199.60 of meat from Co-op in Highlands Road on December 18, 2024.
• Theft of £241.60 worth of meat from Co-op in Highlands Road on February 8 this year.
• Theft of £127 of laundry washing products from Co-op in Highlands Road on February 9.
• Theft of £67 worth of meat from Co-op in Fairfield Avenue on February 16.

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