Man jailed for 52 weeks for repeatedly stealing from Boots in Preston City Centre

On Tuesday 8th October, 2024, officers from the Preston City Centre team were called to Boots on Fishergate following reports that beauty products worth around £402 were taken from the store.

Following multiple enquiries, a 36-year-old man was arrested and charged with five counts of theft from a shop.

Sean Kellett, 36, of no fixed address, appeared in court last Thursday (10th, October, 2024) and pleaded guilty to the charges.

He was sentenced to 52 weeks in prison.

Inspector Dave Byrne, from Preston’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This is another great example of partnership working between the Police and retail stores.

“As part of Operation Vulture, we will continue to work alongside retailers to bring shoplifters to justice.

Operation Vulture is Lancashire Constabulary’s response to shoplifting across the county, backed by Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.

The operation sees dedicated officers undertaking hotspot patrolling, increasing their visibility in targeted areas and creating strong partnerships with retailers across the county to better share intelligence, get a deeper understanding of retail crime and identify more offenders.