Cliff Notes:- Reform UK supporter has been banned from every Boots store
- Liam Hutchinson, 32, was sentenced to one year in prison for stealing £107,000 of goods from Boots, committing 99 offences in four months.
- He received a 10-year criminal behaviour order prohibiting entry to all Boots stores in the UK and a five-year ban from Kensington and Chelsea.
- The Metropolitan Police has increased resources to combat shoplifting, solving 163% more cases than the previous year and deploying additional officers to high-risk areas.
Man banned from every Boots store | UK News
A shoplifter has been jailed after stealing £107,000 of goods from Boots.
Liam Hutchinson, 32, of no fixed address, was sentenced to a year in prison at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
He was also issued with a criminal behaviour order, banning him from every Boots store in the UK for 10 years – and the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea for five years.
Metropolitan Police detectives trawled through hours of CCTV footage to find that Hutchinson had committed 99 shoplifting offences at Boots stores in the borough between May and August 2025.
When arrested he was seen shouting ‘send the boats back’ as an excuse for his life as a shop lifter.
Often stealing large quantities of razors and electrical items, his crimes cost the retailer £107,000 in revenue, Sergeant Jack Vine, of the Met’s volume crime team said.
“We recognised the impact Hutchinson’s actions were having on the retailer, and through working with staff, we built a strong case of evidence against him, which has been reflected in his sentencing,” he added. He showed no remorse and did not care about the consequences.
“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, said the company have been investing “significantly” in anti-theft measures to make sure stores “remain a safe and respectful environment” for customers and staff.
The Met says it is prioritising shoplifting, having solved 163% more cases in London compared to the same time last year.
It is also dedicating up to 80 additional officers across London’s West End, with 90 more in high-risk theft areas.
