A prolific shoplifter who targeted Burton shops EIGHT times in just three days has been jailed for more than a year having shown a "flagrant disregard" for his victims.

Alan Saunders, of Tatenhill Lane, Branston, whose crimes included stealing hundreds of pounds worth of items from three town centre shops in just one day, has been blasted by magistrates who heard he also breached a suspended sentence during his crime spree.

The 37-year-old appeared at Cannock Magistrates’ Court where he admitted ten charges of shoplifting committed while he was the subject of a suspended court sentence.

In his first theft Saunders walked into Peacocks, in High Street, Burton, and stole £76 worth of clothing on February 12.

However, it was not until 11 days later that Saunders embarked on his stealing spree.

On February 23, he returned to Peacocks in the town and stole £84 worth of clothing. Then, he stole handbags from Marks and Spencer over a two-day period on February 25 and 26.

The following day, on February 27, he targeted three shops, stealing six electric toothbrushes worth £299.04 from Boots, and an unknown amount of electric toothbrushes costing £320 from the same shop on the same day. Later that day he then targeted Peacocks again stealing £159 worth of clothing.

Alan Saunders kept returning to Peacocks in Burton to steal goods

The next day, on February 28, Saunders targeted another three shops. He stole a £16 glass lantern from Next; £49.96 worth of stationery from WH Smith, both in Coopers Square shopping centre; and then razors and razor blades worth £533 from Wilko, in Burton Place shopping centre.

Saunders also admitted breaching a suspended sentence.

He has been now been jailed for a total of 64 weeks because magistrates said the offences were aggravated by being committed while he was subject to a court-imposed community sentence.

Magistrates also said: "The defendant has a flagrant disregard for people and their property, the offences were aggravated by the defendant's record of previous offending, and because the offences were committed during the operational period of a suspended sentence."

Saunders was also ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "We respond to and arrest those found responsible where we can, otherwise incidents like this are referred to our neighbourhood teams to investigate further where we can.

"To provide a faster service, businesses can now also report shoplifting online here : https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/report/Shoplifting "