Greggs reports that it is rolling out Auror crime reporting and intelligence technology across its stores amid a rise in shoplifting.

The British bakery and fast food chain made the announcement as a shoplifter who stole more than £2,000 worth of soft drinks from a single Greggs store returned to the community after being handed a suspended sentence.

Since May, Tiffany O'Neill, 28, has been arrested, charged and remanded to court 11 times. She was ultimately charged with 69 theft offences.

Yet when she appeared for sentencing at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, having pleaded guilty to a total of 80 offences, she avoided being sent to prison and was handed a 26 week sentence, suspended for 12 months.

New constraints on magistrates and judges that came into force earlier this year require a sentence of less than a year to be suspended unless very specific exceptions apply. 

The Met said it was highlighting this case to reiterate its calls for the criminal justice system to hold prolific offenders to account. It is estimated that officers have spent more than 120 hours on this single case since O’Neill’s arrest in May, including preparing case files, carrying out further arrests and attending court hearings. At all but one court appearance in recent months she was granted bail, despite repeatedly breaching her bail conditions and returning to target the same Greggs store on Electric Avenue in Brixton. 

O’Neill was initially banned from entering the London Borough of Lambeth and required to wear a GPS tag as a condition of her bail. However, despite repeated offending whilst on bail, the GPS tag was never fitted.

Three sentencing hearings were previously adjourned because she failed to appear in court, and a fourth was delayed earlier this week due to tech issues at the court. In addition to the suspended sentence, a Criminal Behaviour Order was also granted banning her from Brixton town centre and all Greggs stores in the UK for two years.

Sergeant Chris Wilkinson, who led the investigation, says: “Our officers worked relentlessly over several months to build the evidence needed to bring this prolific offender before the courts." 

“Despite multiple arrests and repeated offences, we remained focused on securing a positive outcome for our community. Her persistent offending caused repeated distress to staff, harmed the business and placed a significant demand on police resources."

He adds: “We recognise that courts are obliged to follow the guidelines on suspending sentences, but it’s obviously a disappointment that someone who we know has reoffended so frequently is now back out in the community. We hope this marks a change in her offending, but if it doesn’t we will be there to intervene and put her back before the courts.”

Roisin Currie, Chief Executive at Greggs, comments: “The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and customers is always our priority, and persistent incidents of theft can have a real impact on those in our shops. We are grateful to the Metropolitan Police for their continued work with retailers, including Greggs, to tackle repeat offending."

“Retail crime is an industry wide issue and we continue to strengthen our approach, including the roll-out of Auror technology across all of our shops, investment in CCTV and trials of a new shop format in a small number of locations exposed to higher levels of anti-social behaviour. We also work closely with law enforcement and industry partners to share intelligence, helping us to better prevent and respond to these incidents and maintain safe, welcoming environments for our colleagues and customers."

“We support efforts to apprehend repeat offenders, and we welcome calls for meaningful consequences for those who repeatedly target retailers. Importantly, we would like to see a renewed focus on positive interventions and services that prevent reoffending.”