A prolific shoplifter who repeatedly targeted a Tesco Express store in east London has been handed a suspended sentence. Lee Moise, 46, was detained by police outside Tesco Express on High Road in Leytonstone at 4pm on January 7. Officers were called to the store following reports staff had apprehended a man attempting to steal a large amount of alcohol. CCTV footage was recovered as part of the investigation and Moise was later charged with nine other thefts and common assault on a member of staff at the same store.
He was also charged with a theft at Co-op on Homerton High Street. Moise was sentenced to 12 months in jail, suspended for 18 months, at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, January 9. Inspector Mohammed Uddin, from the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Homerton, said: “We know shoplifting has a significant impact on businesses which also extends to staff, and successful cases like this highlight our commitment to bringing offenders to justice as we focus on the crimes that matter most to Londoners.
“Our Safer Neighbourhood Teams continue to work alongside local stores big and small on effective crime prevention initiatives, as well as carrying out more arrest enquiries and liaising with the council to identify shoplifters with the help of their CCTV operations. “We are also working with drug and homeless outreach teams who provide support to people known for shoplifting which is often used to fund their drug habits. It’s these targeted approaches that is making a difference in communities across London.”.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “Our colleagues work hard to serve our customers every day, and each member of our team deserves to feel safe at work. “We would like to thank all the officers and our internal security team who have worked collaboratively on this case. “We continue to liaise closely with our partners, such as the Metropolitan Police, to share information and invest in new ways to keep our stores, like the High Road Leytonstone Express, safe places to work and shop.”.
