A persistent offender who stole from Cambridge shops and warehouses more than 20 times has been jailed after admitting to a string of thefts and burglaries.
Louis Kidd, 38, of no fixed address, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday (8 April), where he was sentenced to two years and three months in prison. He pleaded guilty to 16 counts of theft and seven business burglaries at a previous hearing.
Kidd’s crimes took place between May and November last year, with his main targets being Co-Op branches on Milton Road and an Asda warehouse at the Beehive Centre. He also broke into Gopuff, a delivery depot on Chesterton Road. Items stolen included meat, alcohol, coffee and chocolate — goods often associated with resale or high demand among vulnerable individuals.
The court heard that Kidd’s offences were driven by a long-standing drug addiction, with the sentencing judge describing him as a “career shoplifter” with a “lamentable” record. District Judge Louise Sillis said Kidd had launched into “a campaign of theft” and had failed to change his behaviour despite previous opportunities to seek help.
As well as a custodial sentence, Kidd has been handed a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order which prohibits him from entering any Co-Op store in Cambridgeshire.
Commenting on the case, PC Laura D’Urso from Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Spree Offender Team said:
“We continue to patrol Cambridge in plain clothes and uniform on a daily basis in order to bring people like Kidd before the courts. As a force, we also work closely with our partners to support individuals dealing with addiction, vulnerability or homelessness.”
