Britain’s most notorious thief stole nearly £13,000 worth of goods from Co-op and One Stop shops, shamelessly hitting the same store four times in a single day.
Rhys Mansell, 37, unleashed havoc, striking 26 times in just 29 days at these chains, pocketing £5,035 worth of items. His repeated assaults on a single Co-op outlet amounted to 38 thefts, costing them £6,510.
Mansell’s reign of theft lasted eight months before authorities caught up with him, tallying a staggering 71 offences. His loot ranged from alcohol to household goods, all sold to fuel his drug habit.
This arrest comes amid alarming statistics, revealing a 20-year high in shoplifting across England and Wales. With over 430,000 offences recorded last year, the surge underscores the urgent need for action against such rampant criminality.
