Serial Greggs shoplifter who admitted to 80 offences spared jail as police issue furious statement

A serial shoplifter who stole £2,000 worth of soft drinks from a single branch of Greggs has been spared immediate jail, prompting a furious response from police officers.

Tiffany O’Neill, 28, had been arrested, charged and remanded to court 11 times since May, according to the Metropolitan Police.

She appeared for sentencing at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after admitting 80 offences, and was handed a 26-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.

Under new guidelines intended to ease prison overcrowding, almost all custodial sentences under a year are currently suspended.

Sergeant Chris Wilkinson, who led the investigation, said: "Our officers worked relentlessly over several months to build the evidence needed to bring this prolific offender before the courts.

"Despite multiple arrests and repeated offences, we remained focused on securing a positive outcome for our community. Her persistent offending caused repeated distress to staff, harmed the business and placed a significant demand on police resources.

"We recognise that courts are obliged to follow the guidelines on suspending sentences, but it’s obviously a disappointment that someone who we know has reoffended so frequently is now back out in the community."

The Met said officers spent 120 hours on the case as O’Neill was continually released on bail despite breaching conditions to return to the same shop on Electric Avenue in Brixton.

She was also banned from entering the borough of Lambeth and ordered to wear a GPS tag which was never fitted, while also failing to attend court on three occasions, requiring police to arrest her each time.

Alongside the suspended sentence, a Criminal Behaviour Order was issued, banning her from Brixton town centre and all UK Greggs stores for two years.

Earlier this year, the Met advocated for fast-track courts to handle serial shoplifters, revealing that 104 repeat offenders were responsible for more than 5,300 crimes across two years.

Nationally, 9% of offenders commit 52% of all offences across all crime categories, the Home Office said.

Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said: "A small number of prolific offenders continue to be responsible for the majority of crime and harm in our communities.

"We are increasingly arresting the same people again and again when they ignored bail or licence conditions, not complied with their electronic tags, or in many cases all of the above. The cumulative impact on retailers and their staff is enormous.

"Our focus has to be on putting suspects before the courts. We need the CPS, courts, prisons and probation to work with us to break the cycle of continued release and reoffending. While we have made significant progress in tackling shoplifting, cases like this show why greater focus on prolific offenders remains essential and how police alone cannot fix this."

Roisin Currie, chief executive of Greggs, said the retailer is investing in technology, including CCTV and a shared law enforcement platform, to track crime.

She said: "We support efforts to apprehend repeat offenders, and we welcome calls for meaningful consequences for those who repeatedly target retailers.

"Importantly, we would like to see a renewed focus on positive interventions and services that prevent reoffending."

New plans to target 500 of the most prolific shoplifters in the UK were announced by the Home Office on Wednesday. Sixteen police forces are participating in the year-long scheme, which will see them focus on serial offenders within their areas.

A spokesman for charity Revolving Doors said repeat offending is frequently driven by addiction, mental health issues and homelessness.

They said: "The anger of retailers and shop workers is justified. Theft is not victimless, and abuse of staff is intolerable.

"But if we want fewer thefts rather than just more arrests, we have to ask a harder question: why does the same small group of people keep cycling through crisis and custody repeatedly?

"The answer, again and again, is addiction, poor mental health and homelessness – frequently all three at once.

"The people we work with show that recovery and rebuilding lives are possible with the right support. Many have themselves been through the cycle of arrest, release and reoffending. With treatment, a roof and someone who sticks with them, they stop.

"Success should mean fewer repeat offences and safer communities, alongside more people able to recover, contribute and realise their potential."