Prolific shoplifter who threatened staff with needles will spend Christmas in prison

A prolific shoplifter who threatened staff with needles will spend Christmas in prison.

Danny Morning, 28, of no fixed address, stole from Co-op stores across Cambridge, the BP garage in Teversham Road, Tesco in High Street, Chesterton and TK Maxx in Huntingdon on 20 occasions between 16 October and 22 November.

The 28-year-old took a whole shelf of tuna, a packet of advent calendars worth £70, alcohol, headphones, meat, washing liquid and air fresheners.

After stealing cans of Red Bull from Tesco on 21 November, Morning hid in a chiller before making threats to stab three members of staff with dirty needles.

He was handed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) in May which states he must not:

- Enter Poundland in Broadway, Peterborough

- Enter any Co-op, Sainsbury’s or Budgens within the A14, M11 and A11.

Morning was sentenced to 35 weeks in prison at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court last Thursday (12 December) after pleading guilty to 20 counts of theft, 13 counts of breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order and three counts of common assault.

PC Luke Upcott, from the spree offending team, said: “Morning is a prolific shop thief who causes misery to businesses in the city and beyond.

“We continue to work closely with businesses across the city to tackle shop theft and encourage businesses affected to report any incidents which will be taken seriously by police.”