A prolific thief has been banned from Hotel Chocolat after shoplifting £850 worth of luxury confectionary.
Charlotte Jones, 35, repeatedly helped herself to selection boxes of chocolate and gift sets from the same Nottingham store.
On December 8 last year, Jones stole £90 worth of chocolate from the Albert Street shop before returning just days before Christmas.
On December 23 she struck again, stealing a further £62 of sweet treats before targeting the store on January 2 this year, making off with £60 of confectionary.
In total, Jones had stolen £851 worth of chocolate on seven separate occasions.
The repeat offender pleaded guilty and was handed a suspended sentence when she appeared at Nottingham magistrates court on January 3.
She was also banned from Hotel Chocolat for two years.
Charlotte Jones, 35, was seen stealing chocolate from Hotel Chocolat in Nottingham on CCTV, stealing £851 in seven incidents over a year
Jones has now been banned from Hotel Chocolat for two years by a criminal behaviour order from Nottinghamshire Police
Sergeant Dan Butler, of Nottinghamshire Police’s city centre neighbourhood team, said: ‘Jones is a persistent shoplifter, and we know her behaviour has harmed city centre businesses due to her disregard for the law.
‘We are continuing to clamp down on prolific offenders with restrictive court orders banning them from certain shops or the city centre altogether.
‘If their behaviour continues, we can more easily add further restrictions to the order, which makes it an arrestable offence to be in a particular area before products are stolen.
‘Support is available to vulnerable people who choose to engage with us; however, we also have a duty to protect businesses and the public from harm.
‘These orders are effective, and for as long as prolific shoplifters keep committing offences, we will continue to put them before the courts.’
Now Jones has been banned from the Albert Street store after magistrates granted Nottinghamshire Police a criminal behaviour order to bar her from the shop.
She was also ordered to complete 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and pay £152 in compensation.
The ban last two years and was granted on January 17. The force said it made sure the ban was in place ‘to protect businesses and the public from Jones after she was identified as a prolific offender.’
Breaching the order is a criminal offence and would likely result in her being jailed due to her suspended sentence.