Off-duty officer catches shoplifter in the act

Monday 12 July 2021

An off-duty police officer was in the right place at the right time to catch a shoplifter in the act at Earlswood Garden Centre.

The officer saw Benjamin James Gillespie, 30, arriving at the garden centre on 28 May last year. The Court heard that Gillespie was wearing a scarf over his face and had an empty bag with him.

The officer decided to keep an eye on Gillespie, notifying staff of his suspicions. Gillespie was seen wandering around the store collecting various items, including a candle and sunglasses.

He left without paying but was stopped outside by the officer and Earlswood staff. The total value of stolen goods came to £109.41.

Pictured: "You went with an intention to steal," said Deputy Judge McKerrell, saying that the crime didn't appear to be opportunistic.

Gillespie’s sentencing was adjourned multiple times, and in the intervening time he committed another offence.

On 14 March this year, Gillespie was stopped by police officers in a car with others. He was seen trying to hide something when they approached, and officers found a vape pen with 0.5g of cannabis inside.

He pleaded guilty to both offences. Defence Advocate Sam Steele said Gillespie uses cannabis to treat pain in his wrist and has since offered to clean Earlswood’s car park as means of an apology for the shoplifting offence. 

Despite this, Judge McKerrell cited Gillespie’s extensive record of similar crimes as a “cycle of offending that needs to be broken.”

He was sentenced to 140 hours community service as a direct alternative to five months and two weeks in prison.