A PROLIFIC thief about whom police previously said ‘enough is enough’ has been put back behind bars.

Alan McCormick has been described by Cheshire Police as a ‘persistent shoplifter’, having been committing offences in Halton since 1999.

The 43-year-old is no stranger to the courts or custody, and he is now back in prison after reoffending.

He was sentenced recently at Chester Crown Court having pleaded guilty to theft from a shop, going equipped for theft, possessing an offensive weapon and breaching a criminal behaviour order.

Details of his latest offending were relayed to the court by Shannon Stewart, prosecuting, who said that this began on November 9.

McCormick stole a jar of coffee from a Co-op store in Runcorn worth £9.50.

This placed him in breach of a criminal behaviour order, designed to tackle the most serious and persistent anti-social individuals, imposed at Warrington Magistrates’ Court in January 2021.

This prohibits him from entering eight stores in Runcorn – Wilko at Shopping City; Co-op in Windmill Hill, Balfour Street, Halton Road, Grangeway, Murdishaw and Granville Street; and Asda in West Lane

McCormick is also prohibited from concealing any item prior to payment at any retail premises in Cheshire.

Further offending was committed on February 13 this year, also in Runcorn, when he was caught in possession of a knuckleduster on Mersey Road.

Police also found him to be possessing a tactical pen incorporating a glass breaker for use in connection with the theft of a motor vehicle.

McCormick, of Bridgeway West in Runcorn, was sentenced by judge Steven Everett to 11 months immediate imprisonment.

The court also approved an order to deprive him of the knuckleduster and glass breaker.

Addressing the defendant, PC Andy Maskall previously said: “McCormick is a persistent shoplifter who blatantly steals large quantities of stock from stores in full view of staff and members of the public.

“There comes a point when you have to say enough is enough and take additional action to protect stores.

“The last thing that retail premises in Runcorn need is to continue to be targeted by a serial shoplifter like McCormick.

“Criminal behaviour orders are preventative orders with strict restrictions that are imposed in a bid to stop persistent offenders committing further crimes.

“They are applied for separately to prosecutions for criminal offences as a last resort, and I am pleased to say that we have seen a significant reduction of offending in Cheshire from those who are subject to one.

“It is an offence to breach the terms of an order and the sanctions imposed for doing so can be severe, with the maximum penalty being five years in prison.

“McCormick has been made aware of this, and I hope that the order has the desired effect and prevents him from committing further shoplifting offences.”

Anyone who encounters McCormick breaching the terms of his criminal behaviour order is asked to report it by calling Cheshire Police on 101.