Brazen thief labelled a 'nuisance' who stole goods from from Booths and B & M to pay back drug dealer jailed
A brazen thief who went on a shoplifting spree to settle his drug debts made no attempt to hide his face on CCTV, a court heard.
George Langhorn blatantly walked in front of cameras at stores in the Morecambe area and helped himself to goods which he then sold for cash to pay off what he owed to crime bosses.
The 26-year-old, whose criminal record included 51 offences, mainly thefts, was sent to prison for a total of 18 months after admitting stealing from three shops in the resort and also committing burglary at a restaurant in the centre of Carlisle.
He was described in court as a “nuisance” to shop and store owners due to the number of times he had shoplifted to order.
Barrister William Donnelly, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court the offences were the “classic crime where items are stolen for resale”.
He said Langhorn took goods worth just under £200 from Booths, washing pods worth £164 from B&M and items worth around £100 from a Morrisons garage store.
He was identified from CCTV at all three premises and had not bothered to conceal his identity despite being “so well-known by police for thefts”.
Around the same time he broke into a restaurant in Carlisle town centre. The security company which maintained the premises had contacted the owner that someone was on the premises and he arrived to find an open can of Red Bull inside.
CCTV pictures showed Langhorn in the restaurant and police found him nearby. He had been in custody since July 10.
Speaking about his criminal record of 17 convictions for 51 offences, Mr Donnelly said a substantial number were “for theft of relatively small amounts of property, but highly inconvenient for the owners of these shops”.
One shopping spree in Lancaster between October and December 2023 saw Langhorn charged with theft of goods totalling more than £2,500 – including £762 of champagne - from M&S, Aldi, WH Smiths, HMV and B&M in the city.
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Mr Donnelly told the court Langhorn, of Lowlands Road, Morecambe, was in breach of three previous suspended prison sentences and had shown an “unwillingness to have anything to do with the probation services”.
Langhorn’s defence lawyer told the court his client took responsibility for all the crimes he had committed and had revealed that on each occasion he had been forced to steal goods to pay off a drug debt.
Mr Donnelly said: “There has never been any violence whatsoever used against those who work in the shops. I entirely accept he is a nuisance and people shouldn’t have to put up with this.”
The court heard Langhorn had drink and drug problems which he had never got to grips with and also had mental health issues.
“He never makes any attempt to disguise his identity whatsoever. He just steals and walks out without threat to anyone.”
Since being remanded in custody awaiting sentence he had been clean from alcohol and drugs, even though some substances were available in prison.
Judge Daniel Prowse told Langhorn: “You stole these goods to order because you owed money to a drug dealer.”
He said he had a “poor” record of offending, mostly for offences of dishonesty. “You have been given chance, after chance, after chance. You were in breach of three suspended sentences, but also because of your inability to comply with them.”
He added it had been said Langhorn had issues with alcohol and drug use and was also suffering from PTSD, anxiety and depression.
But he concluded: “There is no evidence that these issues contributed to your offending.
“In reality you have been given chance after chance which you have largely squandered. “You have left this court with no choice at all.”