Justice has finally caught up with a prolific shoplifter from Bordon who stole items worth more than £700 from stores around Surrey and Hampshire during a five-week spell.

Alix Hamm has been jailed for 26 weeks after admitting to a string of thefts in Fleet, Guildford and Farnham and breaching a criminal order.

The 34-year-old of Robinson Way was finally sent down at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on Wednesday (October 28) following a series of adjournments and no-shows.

The court heard that Hamm stole meat worth £94.60 from the Shell garage on Odiham Road, Upper Hale, on August 21 before helping himself to £156 of meat from the BP on Epson Road in Guildford five days later.

The remaining three offences took place during a 24-hour spell in Fleet with cleaning products worth £51.20 being stolen from Sainsbury’s on September 22.

Hamm stole chicken worth £77.50 from the Kings Road Co-op on the same day before stealing five dog harnesses worth a total £364.95 from Pets Corner the next day.

Hamm pleaded guilty to five counts of theft from a shop and five counts of breaching a criminal behaviour order before being sentenced.

PC Neve Fitzgerald, from Fleet NPT, said: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime, and we know offenders create an environment of fear for retail workers.

“We will never tolerate this behaviour and will continue to target and prosecute the people who are intent on stealing from our local shops.

“We want to stop this criminality, and encourage businesses affected to please keep reporting crimes to us, so we can pursue those responsible.”

Hampshire Police have urged shop owners and retailers to continue to report shoplifting as information can lead to action and the arrest, charging and conviction of suspects.