A 72-year-old has been convicted of stealing a Poppy Appeal charity box from a Sainsbury’s store in London.
Glenard Beaumont, of West Norwood in south London, appeared at Croydon Crown Court, pleading guilty to theft.
Last November, he marched into a Sainsbury’s shop in Lewisham and stole the charity box collecting money for serving and ex-serving personnel and their families.
The thief was handed a four-week sentence, suspended for one year.
Glenard Beaumont received his sentence at Croydon Crown Court
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The judge ordered Beaumont to pay £100 compensation, which will be taken from his benefits.
As a result, he will not spend any time behind bars unless he breaches the conditions of his sentence during his suspension period.
In another recent incident, a serial thief was thrown in jail after he was caught stealing from the Co-op, Boots, Poundland, Tesco and Sainbury’s.
The judge described Gareth Owen as a “menace and a threat” to society after going on the high street haul in Faversham.
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Owen stole just under £6,000 worth of store products, in addition to a laptop, tools and a bicycle across three months last year.
Previously in October 2021, he was slapped with a three-year criminal behaviour order by magistrates, banning him from four branches of Co-op and Sainbury’s stores in Herne Bay and Whitstable.
However, five months before the ban’s expiry date, Owen had reverted to old habits as he went on a shopping spree in Faversham.
He targeted branches of Co-op, Boots, Poundland, Tesco's, Morrisons Daily and Sainsbury's, as well as Upstairs Downstairs Antiques and Collectables last summer.
He even visited some shops twice within the same day, with his haul including meat, alcohol and cheese, as well as household products, cosmetics and jewellery.
The judge noted that he did not "steal out of need".
Owen targeted branches of Co-op, Boots, Poundland, Tesco's, Morrisons Daily and Sainsbury's (Stock)
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At night, Owen stole a bicycle which was worth £370 from someone’s garden, as well as a laptop, alcohol, designer sunglasses and tools.
On January 28, Owen pleaded guilty to 31 offences of theft.
The court heard that the thief had 38 convictions for 90 offences over 30 years.
"You are in my judgment a hardened recidivist. There is no realistic prospect of rehabilitation at the moment. You have no interest or desire for such," the recorder John Gallagher told Owens as he handed the thief his sentence of two years and eight months.
"You are a menace to the public. It can be put no other way and, quite frankly, you are a threat. You are responsible for a huge amount of upset, disturbance and loss, and you know that full well," he added.
"I refer to you being a threat and I mean that. Not in a physical assault type of threat but from the harm and upset your victims suffer."
The defendant was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.
