10 Doncaster men accused of stealing £6,000 worth of items charged with shoplifting

In a two-week period between 28 September and 12 October, the team arrested 10 Doncaster men, who have since been charged with a combined total of 98 thefts. They are accused of stealing over £6,000 worth of items from a range of Doncaster stores, including One Stop, Co-op, B&M and Heron Foods.

Three of those 10 who were charged are already in jail, with Kristopher Becker, Jack Allchurch and Robert Kerry set to spend Christmas behind bars after stealing almost £2,000 worth of products, including 29 Kit Kats, 37 Dairy Milk bars and 19 Galaxy chocolate bars. You can read about their crimes and sentences here.

A fourth man - Andrew Drury, 36, of Fonteyn House - has also been given a 12-week suspended sentence after he admitted stealing over £800 worth of goods from different One Stop stores in Doncaster.

Having already secured jail terms for a number of prolific Doncaster shoplifters, the retail crime team are keen to not rest on their laurels. Since the launch of the National Safer Business Action Week on Monday (16 October), officers in Doncaster and across South Yorkshire have been carrying out targeted patrols and specialist operations to tackle business crime and bring thieves to justice.

PC Hazel Smith, from Doncaster's retail crime team, worked alongside PC Louise Green and other officers to collate evidence on suspected shoplifters, and the team are resolute in their determination to secure more convictions against thieves in the city of Doncaster.

She said: "We remain committed to tackling criminality as a whole in Doncaster city centre and we know that retail crime affects hard-working businesses and shop workers.

"We want to stop thieves and shoplifters in their tracks and we want to ensure Doncaster is safe and enjoyable place for people to live, work and visit.

"Our commitment to combatting retail crime remains steadfast and we want to continue working with businesses and cultivate a strong relationship so we can eradicate shoplifting once and for all."

The six other men who have been charged with theft are as follows:

Jake Natale, 27, of St Margaret's Road - charged with 8 shop thefts totalling £275. He appeared before Doncaster Magistrates' Court on 29 September and has been remanded into custody to next appear before Sheffield Crown Court on 20 October.

Tommy Knott, 25, of Oldfield Crescent - charged with 22 shop thefts totalling £522. He appeared before Doncaster Magistrates' Court on 30 September and has been released on bail to next appear before Sheffield Crown Court on 30 October.

Michael Peterson, 36, of Exchange Street - charged with 15 shop thefts totalling £1,501. He appeared before Doncaster Magistrates' Court on 29 September and has been remanded into custody to next appear before the same court on 20 October.

Dean Cooper, 26, of Fairfax Road - charged with two shop thefts totalling £83. He appeared before Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 2 October and pleaded not guilty to two offences. He been remanded into custody to next appear before the same court on 9 January, 2024.

Darren Anderson, 35, previously of Chestnut Avenue - charged with 9 shop thefts totalling £758. He appeared before Doncaster Magistrates' Court on 11 October and has been remanded into custody to next appear before Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 19 October.

John Prendergast, 40, of Sandbeck House - charged with four shop thefts totalling £398. He appeared before Doncaster Magistrates' Court on 12 October and has been released on bail to next appear before the same court on 25 October.