The press release issued by Essex Police on 26 June 2026.
A prolific Colchester thief has been jailed and banned from all Co-op stores in England and Wales thanks to the work of the city’s neighbourhood policing team.
Scott Butcher, 39, was jailed for 20 weeks, having been committed to Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing for three thefts from Co-ops in Peartree Road and Old Heath Road, Colchester, and two from Sainsbury’s in Layer Road.
He’d also admitted at a previous hearing to three breaches of a previous three-year criminal behaviour order (CBO) which forbade him from entering any Co-op in Essex.
The court heard on 24 June that Butcher, of Devon Road, stole a total of £507.55 of chilled foods and detergents from Co-op and Sainsbury’s stores between 3 & 13 March 2026, breaching a three-year CBO issued in September 2023.
Butcher was arrested in Colchester city centre three days later by a Colchester Neighbourhood Policing Team officer who knew that he was wanted for the thefts.
Working with our Business Crime Team, the team successfully applied to have Butcher’s previous CBO extended to cover all Co-op stores in England and Wales, for a further three years.
PC Mike Lee says:
“The court clearly took a dim view of Butcher’s re-offending and part of his sentence related to the fact that he had ignored a previous court order banning him from entering those Co-op stores.
“Criminal behaviour orders are not to be taken lightly because, as Butcher has found out, breaching them can result in jail time.
“Shop theft harms businesses, their staff and customers, pushing up prices and insurance premiums, and it has a detrimental effect on the wider community, too.”
Butcher was also ordered to pay a court surcharge of £154.