Man banned from entering Morrisons and Aldi after 'five-finger discount' spree

A burglar and shoplifter has been locked up and barred from entering numerous shops and an entire Lancashire town.

Lancashire Police said Max Bancroft 'clearly mistook Nelson and Burnley for his personal pick 'n' mix'as he carried out a series of offences over a four-month period.

The 33 year old, of Higher Causeway, Barrowford, admitted guilt at Blackburn Magistrates Court this week to three charges of burglary at Morrisons and one at Aldi and four charges of theft of vodka from Morrisons.

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The serial offender received a60-week prison sentenceand a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order.

This bars Bancroft from entering Morrisons, Nelson, or Aldi in Burnley, reports Lancs Live.

In a Facebook post today (August 7), Colne and West Craven Police said: "From the aisles to the cells..

"Max Bancroft clearly mistook Nelson and Burnley for his personal pick 'n' mix - but the only thing he's bagging now is bedtime at 8pm.

"After a spree of burglary and shoplifting, Blackburn Magistrates have handed him 1 year and 8 weeks to think about his 'five-finger discount' strategy.

"Even after his time behind bars he'll have another 2 years left of his Criminal Behaviour Order to limit his 'shopping' habits."

A five finger discount is sometimes used to describe shoplifting.

The number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales has climbed to another record high.

Some 530,643 offences were logged in 2024/25, up 20% from 444,022 in 2023/24 and the highest total since current police recording practices began in 2002/03.

Theft from the person offences also remain at record levels, with 151,220 recorded by forces in the year to March, up 15% from 131,584 in the previous 12 months.

The number of knife crime offences recorded by forces stood at 53,047 in 2024/25, down 1% from 53,685 in 2023/24 and 4% below the pre-pandemic figure of 55,170 in 2019/20.