Prolific Shoplifter Jailed for Stealing £16,000 Worth of Items from B&Q Stores

Strategic Insights -

A prolific shoplifter who targeted B&Q stores in London and across the south of England 11 times has been jailed following a Met Police investigation. The investigation reveals that Daniel Cleveland, 33, stole £16,000 worth of items, mainly taps, from B&Q stores in Greenwich, Kent, Hampshire, Essex, and Buckinghamshire over a 13-month period. Cleveland pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft and three counts of attempted theft at Lewes Crown Court and was sentenced to three years in jail.

Key Takeaways:

  • Daniel Cleveland, a 33-year-old prolific shoplifter, was jailed for stealing £16,000 worth of items, mainly taps, from B&Q stores in London and across the south of England over a 13-month period.
  • Cleveland targeted B&Q stores in Greenwich, Kent, Hampshire, Essex, and Buckinghamshire a total of 11 times between February 2024 and March 2025.
  • He pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft and three counts of attempted theft at Lewes Crown Court and was sentenced to three years in jail.
  • Cleveland worked with another man to steal goods, using a getaway vehicle with false plates in one instance.
  • The men were caught on security cameras throwing stolen items over a fence from inside the garden centre of a B&Q store in Kent.
  • Police worked with B&Q to review reports of theft and attempted theft, and as a result, neighbourhood crime is down 15.5% this year and 92% more shoplifting cases have been solved this year.
  • B&Q Security and Commercial Stockloss Manager Simon Moss praised the collaboration between retailers and the police, saying it "sends a clear message to those who target B&Q and other retailers."

Statistics:

  • At least £16,000 worth of items were stolen from B&Q stores in London and across the south of England over a 13-month period.
  • Cleveland stole items from B&Q stores in Greenwich, Kent, Hampshire, Essex, and Buckinghamshire a total of 11 times between February 2024 and March 2025.
  • Neighbourhood crime is down 15.5% this year as a result of the investigation.
  • 92% more shoplifting cases have been solved this year than last year.

Sources:

  • BBC News: "Prolific shoplifter jailed for stealing £16,000 from B&Q stores"
  • Get Surrey: "Prolific shoplifter sentenced to three years in jail for £16,000 thefts from B&Q stores"
  • Met Police: "Prolific shoplifter jailed for stealing £16,000 from B&Q stores"