A couple who have convictions for more than 60 thefts between them have been jailed after being caught shoplifting in Wisbech. On the evening of 5 December, Scott McSpadden, 39, entered Aldi in Sandyland while his partner, Tanya Momot, 31, waited outside the automatic entrance doors.
McSpadden picked up four bottles of Irish Country Cream Liqueur worth £19.96 and headed towards the entrance doors, with Momot opening them from the outside to allow McSpadden to make his escape with the stolen goods.
The following day, the pair entered B&M in Cromwell Retail Park and loaded carrier bags with nine Elle hair straighteners, ten Elle heated hairbrush sets and eight fruity bath fizzers worth a total of £197.71 before being disturbed by a member of staff but managed to run out of the store with the items.
The couple, who have a combined total of 120 criminal offences against their names, are both subject to Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs).
Momot is banned from entering the pedestrianised area of the Horsefair Shopping Centre in Wisbech until 6 June 2024, while McSpadden is banned from the Horsefair Shopping Centre (except for Fairbrother Pharmacy) and entering any shopping store at the same time as Momot until 19 September 2025.
The pair, who were both arrested on Monday morning (18 December), appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where McSpadden, of no fixed address, was jailed for 28 weeks after admitting two counts of theft from a shop and breaching a CBO.
Momot, of Lynn Road, Wisbech, was jailed for 16 weeks after admitting theft from a shop and aiding theft from a shop.
Both had additional conditions made to their existing CBOs banning them from the Cromwell Retail Park.
PC Sam Buswell, who investigated, said: “The local Neighbourhood Policing Team secured a CBO against McSpadden in September this year following repeated offending and issues being caused for retailers in the town, while Momot has had one in place for over a year.
“Both have repeatedly shown no regard for the law, or the court orders imposed on them, and will now be spending their Christmas period in prison.”
Anyone with information about McSpadden or Momot breaching the CBOs should contact police via the web chat service or online forms at www.cambs.police.uk/report. Those without internet access should call 101.
