A SHOPLIFTER stole meat worth more than £750 during a two-week spree that started days after he was released from prison for previous thefts.
Anton Varga, of Staple Hill, was sent back to jail by Bristol magistrates after he admitted offences at seven different shops in Fishponds, including on Lodge Causeway, Downend, Mangotsfield, Staple Hill and Lyde Green.
Officers from the South Gloucestershire neighbourhood policing team arrested Varga, aged 38, of Staple Hill, on June 16.
He was jailed for a year the following day after admitting a total of 17 thefts from shops, one assault on a member of the public in a shop and one on a member of store staff.
As well as the meat Varga stole toiletries and laundry products.
All of the offences happened between May 30 and June 14.
Thief had just been released from prison
Earlier in May he had been released from prison after serving part of a 29-week sentence imposed in January for six thefts at supermarkets in Downend, Fishponds and Kingswood, carried out over ten days.
His sentence in January included a five-year criminal behaviour order (CBO) banning him from entering certain stores after he was released from prison.
On his return to court Varga admitted nine counts of breaching the CBO.
Neighbourhood Sergeant Richard Humphrey said: “We know the impact of repeated thefts, threats and assaults on shop staff and we’re determined to target offenders who persistently commit crime and cause harm in our communities.
“The sentence of 52 weeks – the maximum available to magistrates – was imposed for breaching the CBO, with jail terms for the other offences to run concurrently.”