A POKEMON card thief has been jailed after stealing hundreds of pounds worth of goods from shops in Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Joshua Symonds entered guilty pleas to nine counts of theft from a shop when he appeared before a deputy district judge in Kidderminster in February.

Hereford Times:

The court heard from prosecutor Valerie Hart that the 27-year-old had stolen t-shirts, jogging trousers, and jackets, worth £300 on January 15 and Emporio Armani, Adidas, and Cross Hatch branded sports wear worth £400 on January 16 from The Factory Shop in Leominster.

He had stolen Pokemon cards worth £252.97 from WH Smith in Leominster on January 17, seven bottles of spirits worth £80 from Co-op in Church Stretton on January 23, 24 cans of Magners cider worth £13 from Morrisons in Leominster on January 23, and four fragrances, worth £100, from The Factory Shop in Leominster between January 24 and 26.

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He had also stolen bottles of spirits worth £265 between February 13 and 16 and household cleaning goods worth £38 on February 15 from Sainsbury's in Ludlow and meat and a bottle of white wine worth £101.30 from Co-op in Leominster on February 15.

Magistrates said Symonds, who gave the court a 'care of' address in Leominster, has a flagrant disregard for people and their property, jailing him for 17 weeks.

He was also ordered to pay compensation to cover the value of the goods stolen to each of the shops.

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