Prolific Boots thief jailed after £107,000 in losses as Met cites rise in retail crime

A prolific shoplifter who stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of Boots products has been jailed after a police investigation tied him to a string of thefts carried out in broad daylight across Chelsea and Kensington, west London. Liam Hutchinson, 32, committed 99 separate shoplifting offences, with investigators calculating a total loss to the retailer at about £107,000. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and received a Criminal Behaviour Order banning him from every Boots store in the United Kingdom for 10 years. In addition, Hutchinson was barred from entering the boroughs of Chelsea and Kensington for the next five years.

The case illustrates the scale of persistent retail theft and the ongoing efforts by police and retailers to curb it. Footage captured Hutchinson placing products into bags and coats as he moved through shop aisles, sometimes in the presence of staff and bystanders who attempted to intervene. Investigators from the Metropolitan Police worked closely with Boots staff, reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV to build a case against him. The force said it had solved 163% more cases across London this year compared with the same period last year, underscoring a surge in retail crime and the effort to deter it.

Sergeant Jack Vine, who led the investigation for the Met’s Volume Crime Team in central London, said Hutchinson had targeted Boots stores across Chelsea and Kensington, resulting in significant losses for the retailer. “We recognised the impact Hutchinson’s actions were having on the business, and through working with staff, we built a strong evidence base that supported his sentencing,” Vine said. “This result should act as a warning that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated, and that we will come down hard on those who show a complete disregard for the law, terrorise retail workers and cost businesses thousands of pounds.”

Nicky Harrop, Head of Security, Fraud and Contract Management at Boots, welcomed the outcome and highlighted ongoing investments to deter theft and support the police. “We have been investing significantly in measures that will deter and disrupt criminal activity, stop theft, protect our team members, and support the police with high-quality evidence,” Harrop said. “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 case against Hutchinson comes amid a broader picture of retail crime in the capital and nationwide. Earlier this year, a Romanian shoplifter identified as Bianca Mirica, 20, was jailed for about £299,000 worth of cosmetics and perfumes stolen from Boots in a separate case. Police and prosecutors described her as part of a female-led organised crime group that used distraction techniques to disable security and clear shelves. While court estimates put Mirica’s thefts at around £120,000, Boots and investigators have suggested the true figure could have approached £300,000. The episode is part of a trend that retail industry groups say cost the sector about £2.2 billion in 2023 and 2024—the equivalent of more than 55,000 incidents a day.

Authorities say the problem has prompted intensified collaboration between retailers and police, including targeted patrols, intelligence-led operations, and improved evidence collection to bring repeat offenders to justice. The Met has stressed that it will continue pursuing persistent shoplifters through a combination of undercover work, public crimefighting efforts, and partnerships with store staff to secure high-quality evidence.

In the broader context, security experts emphasize that retail crime remains a systemic challenge that affects customers and workers as much as retailers. While individual sentences may vary, the overarching message from law enforcement and retail security teams is that theft of this scale will be pursued vigorously, and consequences will reflect the losses suffered by businesses and the risk posed to frontline workers.