Serial shoplifter hauled before the courts by Ollerton officers

A prolific shoplifter who has been making shopworkers’ lives a misery has appeared in court.

Crystal Taylor is well-known to the Rainworth and Blidworth communities because of her constant thieving.

More than £1,600 worth of stock has been swiped from the shelves by Taylor during a series of thefts over the last few weeks.

Chocolates, meat, alcohol, and cleaning products have all frequently been taken from the same two stores in Blidworth and Rainworth.  

The Tesco Express stores in Mansfield Road and Kirklington Road were targeted 21 times in total by Taylor during the first few weeks of May.

Each of these offences took place between 2 May and 14 May, with the 41-year-old also stealing from the Blidworth store on 22 March 2024.

On top of that, the shoplifter also stole around £150 worth of chocolates from the Southwell Road East Co-op, in Rainworth, on 10 May.   

After reviewing CCTV, Ollerton officers were able to track down Taylor to a property in Rainworth on 15 May, where she was arrested.

She would subsequently be charged with 23 shop thefts, which she admitted to at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on 16 May 2024.

Having pleaded guilty, Taylor, of Rainworth Water Road, Rainworth, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.  

She was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation and complete 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

PC Daniel King, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Shoplifters like Taylor cause a real problem to local communities – not just to stores but people who live in those areas.

“These thefts can have huge implications on people’s livelihoods, while also impacting how much people have to pay for items too.

“To take Taylor as an example, she stole hundreds and hundreds of pounds worth of items, mostly from the same two stores, in the space of less than a month.

“We know that her continued and blatant repeated thefts were causing a real sense of frustration to the Blidworth and Rainworth community, so it was pleasing to see her charged for her offences.

“Our officers will continue to do everything in our powers to ensure shoplifters don’t get away with their actions, but are instead brought before the courts.”