Thief had no reason to steal from DIY store other than ‘products being expensive’

A thief stole a range of products from a DIY store for no reason other than noticing they were “expensive”.Lee Cook, 44, of Losinga Road in North Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday, pleading guilty to theft from a shop.This meant he had breached a conditional discharge handed to him on April 27 last year.

Crown prosecutor Colette Harper told the court that on January 8 this year, Cook entered B&Q on the Hardwick industrial estate before selecting a number of products.He proceeded to pay for three pieces of skirting board, but stole £40 worth of torches, phone cables and other electrical items in the process.Breaching his conditional discharge also meant Cook was re-sentenced for a theft from Tesco on the Hardwick on March 7 last year.On that occasion, he stole £36.37 worth of products from the supermarket.Magistrates fined Cook a total of £100 for all of the thefts, as well as £50 in court costs and a £20 victim surcharge.Because the B&Q goods were not recovered, he will also pay £40 in compensation to the store.In mitigation, duty solicitor George Sorrell said: “He was stopped at the time and thought they had recovered the goods, but it was maybe because he had discarded the packaging.“He described going into B&Q and looking at the torches, which he thought were very expensive. He had no use for a torch, but seeing how expensive they were he just took it.“There was no reason for it. Maybe there will be some time to see what makes him steal these things without any need for it.”On Cook paying compensation to B&Q, Mr Sorrell added: “I don’t think they should sell it to someone else without the packaging, even if it is environmentally friendly.“At least he paid for something in the shop.”