Prolific shoplifters who stole meat, laundry products and cigarettes from several Co-op stores while banned have been jailed.

Jamie Hopkins and Adam Roberts pleaded guilty to the month-long spree of thefts at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday (May 14).

In October, the pair were both subject to criminal behaviour orders banning them from entering several retail outlets including any Co-op store.

But that didn’t stop Hopkins, of Browning Road, Dartford, who attempted to steal boxes of cigarettes from behind the counter at the Co-op in Talbot Lane, Swanscombe where he was challenged by a shop worker before leaving the scene on October 19.

Three days later, he and Roberts, of no fixed address, stole a quantity of meat and laundry products from the same premises.

Then on October 27, two bottles of spirits were stolen by Roberts from behind the counter at the same supermarket chain’s branch in Oldfield Place, in Dartford.

On the following day, both men were arrested after they were seen by a police officer entering the Co-op in Castle Hill, Ebbsfleet.

Both suspects were charged by investigators from the North Kent Victim Based Crime Team with one count of theft and three breaches of their criminal behaviour orders.

Meanwhile, Roberts, 36, was also charged with burglary at the Co-op in Oldfield Place, Dartford and Hopkins, 39, with a count of burglary at the Co-op in Talbot Lane, Swanscombe.

On October 30, both pleaded guilty at Medway Magistrates’ Court and were remanded in custody.

At Maidstone Crown Court this week Hopkins and Roberts were both jailed for 10 months.

Police Sergeant Dan Horsley said: “These men have showed complete contempt for the law by continuing to shoplift while under conditions imposed by a court, not to enter the premises they were targeting.

“This type of crime ultimately increases prices for law-abiding customers and can have an impact on the ability of some shops to continue trading.

“Criminal behaviour orders are a chance for offenders to moderate their behaviour and, if they fail to seize this opportunity, a prison sentence is the most likely sanction.”