Thief Steals Bag Tries to Return Shoes for Refund in Newcastle
A thief stole a bag with trainers and a receipt and then tried to get a refund at the store where they were bought.
Theft, Fraud, Newcastle, JD Sports, Paul Richardson, Shoplifting, United Kingdom
Paul Richardson, age 35, took her bag after she left it at a McDonald’s on Grainger Street in Newcastle. He then went into JD Sports, where the woman had bought the shoes, which cost £84. He pretended to be a real customer and wanted the refund, the court learned.
She returned for her bag soon after, but it was gone. CCTV showed Richardson taking it, and it tracked him to JD Sports.
Richardson used to live in Middlesbrough, but now he has no fixed address and seeks housing in Newcastle. He admitted theft and fraud at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court and received a fine.
Paul Coulson, a prosecutor, said she left her bag at McDonald’s on June 11 last year. She quickly came back, but her bag had vanished. They later checked the security footage.
Mr. Coulson stated that the police saw the video. It showed the man taking the bag and then entering JD Sports with the shoes. He then asked for a full refund.
The court heard he had 58 past offences and was last convicted in May 2023 for shoplifting. The court decided it was opportunistic theft, not very well planned. He must pay a £120 fine, cover £85 in costs, and a £48 surcharge also applies.