A man with more than 120 offences already on his record has been locked up after officers caught him inside a Newport supermarket in the middle of the night.
David Francis, 42, of no fixed abode, Newport, pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment at Newport Magistrates’ Court. The alcohol he had gathered up was valued at £380.
The operation
Gwent Police had been running targeted work at Morrisons on Orb Drive in Lliswerry after a run of reported break-ins at the site. Neighbourhood officers had built a working relationship with the store’s management team, covering crime prevention advice and security improvements as well as the response to incidents.
The arrest
Officers were at the store late on Wednesday evening. At around 3.15am on Thursday, June 26, they heard banging, followed by the sound of glass shattering. They moved in and detained Francis inside.
What police said
Inspector Roland Giles said: “Officers make use of an array of tactics to identify suspects and then detain them.
“Every bit of information helps inform operations like last night’s.
“Partnership working is essential, and we’ve been working closely with stores across Newport to first offer crime prevention advice, strengthen security and, at times when we have received reports of break-ins, respond robustly to make arrests.”
Sentencing
Alongside the four-month term, the court heard Francis had been recalled to prison and remains a serving prisoner until 2032. A statutory victim surcharge of £154 will fall due once he is released from custody.
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