Serial shoplifter banned from wearing wigs after spate of thefts

A serial shoplifter has been banned from wearing wigs, after attempting to disguise herself while swiping items from shops.

33-year-old Hannah Roberts had donned a variety of headpieces to avoid being detected in Gloucester city centre.

She had already been banned by the City Safe Scheme from entering any shops which are members of the scheme, but she ignored the ban.

When challenged by staff or security officers, Roberts had reportedly become abusive and run off with stolen items.

In an effort to get around the ban, she had also taken to wearing a variety of wigs to disguise herself – but a tattoo on her neck gave her away most times.

Gloucestershire Magistrates’ Court’s Justice of the Peace handed Roberts a criminal behaviour order, banning her from wearing wigs when shopping.

The order specifies that she can’t wear a wig or hairpiece designed to change her appearance when entering any retail premises.

Police Constable Andy Plant, from Gloucestershire Police, said: ‘Our retail industry is suffering because of these persistent shoplifters.

‘Roberts has been the top shoplifting offender in the last few months, and we now have another tool to deal with her in the shape of this criminal behaviour order.

‘We will continue to support our businesses in the city and its surrounds by targeting shoplifters and obtaining further orders at court where possible.’

Shoplifting has soared to another record high, with nearly 1,300 offences being recorded every day last year.

There was a total of 469,788 offences logged by police forces in England and Wales in the year to June 2024. That is a 29% leap from the 365,173 recorded in the 12 months previous.

The figure is the highest since current records began in the year to March 2003, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Shoplifting levels had already reached a 20-year high earlier this year, with the latest figures showing them rising even higher.

Britain’s ‘most prolific shoplifter’, Tanya Liddle, was convicted for the 171st time in late September.

The 43-year-old has been arrested almost 400 times and is so well known among shopkeepers in Newcastle she wears an array of hats to disguise herself.

She’s been banned from from all shops in the North East except a pharmacy, a supermarket and a clothes store.

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