Northampton police op sees three jailed for stealing booze, meat and Poppy Appeal box

Three men have been jailed after they were caught a police operation in Northampton launched to crack down on thefts from vehicles.

Operation Waffle was set up earlier this year following an increase in reports of break-ins. The three jailed by Northampton magistrates on December 15 for theft from vehicles and other offences were:

■ Joe Walpole, aged 30, of no fixed abode, who was sentenced to a total of 18 weeks for burglary involving stealing booze worth £740 from Majestic Wine Warehouse, stealing meat from Asda and dishonest use of a bank card — and twice failing to appear at Northampton Magistrates' Court. He was also ordered to pay a total of £764.30 compensation.

■ Connor Richings, 30, of no fixed abode, was charged with a theft of a Poppy Appeal charity box from Semilong Road Co-op and sentenced to four weeks in prison and ordered to pay £289 in prosecution costs, compensation and surcharge to fund victim services.

■ Callum Gordon, 32, of no fixed abode, was charged with a fraud offence relating to the use of a bank card stolen from a motor vehicle on November 23 in Grafton Street and sentenced to 16 weeks in prison — including ten weeks from a previous suspended sentence handed down in August this year for a drug-driving offence — and ordered to pay £239 in legal costs and a victim surcharge.

A fourth man, Colm Hyland, aged 43, of Shelley Street, Northampton, has pleaded not guilty to a fraud offence relating to a bank card believed to be stolen from motor vehicle. He has been remanded on bail until March.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Nicola Davis-Lyons, said: “These prosecutions are a result of some fantastic teamwork between our Neighbourhood, Response, Operations and Intelligence teams who have all worked tirelessly to ensure these prolific offenders are brought to justice.

“We don’t underestimate how impactive this type of crime can be on our communities and I am really pleased that these sentences will allow people to enjoy the festive period without fear of further offences being committed. Our work will not stop here and we will continue into 2023 tackling those responsible for vehicle crime.”