Woman sentenced to more than 20 weeks in jail after crime spree across Fenland

A woman who committed 16 offences in Fenland over two months, including shoplifting of items worth more than £1,000, has been jailed.

Lauren Slater, 29, went on a crime spree between February 9 and March 24, stealing items from Peacocks, QD, Tesco Extra, Tesco Express and Boots in Wisbech, as well as Sainsbury’s and Iceland in March.

She was stopped by officers outside Tesco Extra on Cromwell Road in Wisbech on the evening of March 8, following a report of shoplifting, where she admitted to stealing the items and handed them over. However, she was not arrested as she gave false details, which came back as clear on police systems.

Slater was arrested at a house on Chandlers Way in March, on March 25 and charged with 16 offences:

- 13 counts of theft from a shop;

- Obstructing a police constable;

- Criminal damage of a motorhome on St Johns Road in March, on March 23;

- Non-dwelling burglary with intent to steal, after she broke into the Three Lions Pub on High Street in March, on March 23.

Slater, of St Faiths Lane, Norwich, was jailed for 24 weeks and ordered to pay £1,068.96 in compensation after admitting the offences at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday.

PC Michelle Bax, who investigated, said: “Slater’s decision to give officers false details to avoid being caught shows that she did not care about the impact of her crimes.

“Thanks to the continued reports from businesses, we were able to identify Slater through CCTV footage and arrest her before she could commit further offences.”