Admin I Wednesday, Sept 24, 2025
LONDON – Liam Hutchinson was no ordinary shopper. For months, the 32-year-old was a one-man crime wave, brazenly stealing more than £100,000 worth of goods from Boots stores across the well-heeled neighbourhoods of Chelsea and Kensington.
But now, his prolific spree has come to a screeching halt.
Hutchinson, of no fixed address, has been jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to 99 separate shoplifting offences committed between May and August of this year. His targets were often high-value items, including electrical goods and razors, which he would steal in large quantities.
His luck finally ran out when a dedicated team from the Met Police’s Volume Crime Team took notice. Working tirelessly with Boots staff, detectives poured over hundreds of hours of CCTV footage and witness statements to build a mountain of evidence against him.
Sergeant Jack Vine, who led the investigation, said Hutchinson’s actions had a massive impact on the business.
“We recognised the impact Hutchinson’s actions were having on the retailer,” he said.
“This result should act as a warning that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.”
In addition to his jail time, Hutchinson has been hit with a Criminal Behaviour Order. The strict order bans him from entering any Boots store in the UK for the next 10 years and from the entire borough of Chelsea and Kensington for the next five.
The Met says they are “relentlessly” targeting prolific offenders like Hutchinson, with Chief Inspector Rav Pathania stating, “The Met is coming down hard on shoplifters.”
Nicky Harrop, Head of Security at Boots, praised the collaboration with the police. “Tackling the growing levels of retail crime is a collaborative effort, so we’re pleased to work alongside the Metropolitan Police to ensure our stores remain a safe and respectful environment for our team members and customers.”
The successful conviction is part of a wider push by the Met to crack down on retail crime, which has seen a 163% increase in solved shoplifting cases across the capital compared to last year.
