Montrose man jailed for three-week shop-lifting spree

An Angus man who plagued the county’s stores in a three-week shop-lifting spree has been jailed.

Christopher Archibald, 32, of Glenclova Place, Montrose appeared at Arbroath Sheriff Court where he admitted carrying out 11 crimes of dishonesty over a three-week period between July 20 and August 11 this year.

Archibald stole a total of six bottles of vodka, a quantity of men’s toiletries, packets of chicken, games, make-up and other foods from stores across Angus, including the Co-op at Abirlot Road in Arbroath and the Abbeygate, Boots in Arbroath High Street, Boots in Montrose, Tesco Arbroath and Asda in Arbroath.

Archibald’s solicitor Billy Rennie told Sheriff Paterson: “He has amassed a huge number of convictions for crimes of dishonesty but there’s very little otherwise.

“He has a craving for drugs which has been a concern since his teenage years.”

Sheriff Paterson told Archibald: “I have some sympathy with what Mr Rennie has said and there has to come a time when you are given an opportunity to prove yourself for community disposal.

“However, I can’t ignore a spree of this extent and nature.”

Archibald was sentenced to 180 days in prison, back-dated to August 13.