Thief who threatened staff at Tesco’s store in Enfield with a knife jailed for 18 months.
A thief who threatened staff at a Tesco’s store in Enfield with a knife has been jailed for 18 months.
Stephen Bangs, 32 years (26.02.82), Bullsmoor Way, Waltham Cross EN8 was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday, 6 January after pleading guilty to shoplifting, handling stolen goods and making threats with an offensive weapon in a public place.
He was sentenced as follows:
Four months for handling stolen goods.
Two months for shoplifting.
One year for threatening another person with an offensive weapon in a public place.
All offences are to run consecutively.
Police were called on Saturday, 13 December, 2014 to Tesco’s Express, Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield at 22:37hrs to reports of a man in possession of a knife.
When officers arrived Tesco staff took them to the staff room where they found Bangs with a security officer from the store.
Tesco staff told police that Bangs had come into the shop and had stolen items of meat and placed them in his coat and bag.
He was stopped in the store by staff and told to return the items.
At this point he produced a small, black handled knife with a blade of around six centimetres and threatened the staff.
Staff, with help from a customer, took the knife from Bangs and took him to the area at the rear of the store where, on their arrival, officers arrested him.
When Bangs was taken into custody he was searched and was found to be in possession of passports, bank cards, a cheque book, 1,500 Indian Rupees in cash and a diary.
The documents were not in his name and it transpired that they had been stolen from a vehicle in Hertfordshire on 3 December 2014. He was charged on Sunday, 14 December 2014.
PC Ben Hillier from Enfield CID said: “The incident could have resulted in someone being seriously injured and I welcome the sentence the court has passed. I would like to praise Tesco store staff and the member of the public for their bravery which resulted in this offender being brought to justice.”
