A THREE-YEAR Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) has been issued to a prolific shoplifter who persistently targeted shops in Cirencester.

Benjamin Savory, 26, of Melmore Gardens, Cirencester, was issued with a three-year CBO after regularly stealing from shops in the town.

The CBO bans Savory from entering retail premises in Cirencester, with the exceptions of Tesco Express and Chesterton Pharmacy on Chesterton Lane.

Failure to stick to these conditions would be a criminal offence for which he could be arrested.

Magistrates granted the order after Savory was convicted of breaching a suspended sentence, handed to him in January after he stole from supermarkets on eight occasions between November and December last year.

The court heard how Savory stole plants to the value of £400 from a man in the town on May 29. And on August 23, Savory stole a kitchen knife to the value of £44 from ProCook on Dyer Street.

He was jailed for 24 weeks and ordered to pay the plants victim £400 and Procook £44 in compensation, alongside a surcharge to fund victim services of £122.

A spokesman for Cirencester Neighbourhood Policing team said: “Cirencester town retail stores are under so much pressure in the current climate, due to Covid and pressure from online retailers.

“To have items stolen from their store is a loss to them which impacts us, the community of that town. The margins are smaller and smaller with little or no profit in a sale, like every high street across the country retailers are struggling.

“Cirencester Neighbourhood Policing team is dedicated on getting the results that help the community which make them feel safe.

“We will enforce this Criminal Behaviour Order with the help from the stores across the town and ensure that he will be prosecuted if there are breaches of that order.

“Ben Savory has been offending in Cirencester for many years, with our order Ben will not be able to enter any retail premises within his exclusion zone.

“If his offending continues we will reapply to the court for a ban from all retailers in Gloucestershire.

"We hope that he will change his attitude towards stealing another’s property and that the shop owners of Cirencester feel protected that justice can be delivered. “