A brazen Stirling thief who told police ‘I run this place’ has been jailed after a sheriff blasted him for stealing without even trying to disguise his actions.
Jordan Hutton, 24, appeared for sentencing by video link to prison after earlier pleading guilty to eight thefts – mostly of booze – and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
In one instance he stole two Canada Goose jackets from someone’s home and later told police he “runs” the area and to tell his victim he should lock his door.
Sheriff Derek Hamilton confirmed with prosecutor Lucy Clarke that Hutton, of Cultenhove Road in St Ninians, did not appear to hide any of his shoplifting acts at the time.
Turning on Hutton, he said: “This constant shoplifting has to stop.
“It seems to be a new feature now that people think they can simply walk into shops, do their ‘shopping’ and walk out without paying and seem to do it now openly.”
The sheriff jailed Hutton nine months and 69 days – including a period remaining from a previous sentence.
Shoplifting crimes
At Stirling Sheriff Court, Hutton admitted stealing alcohol worth £29 from Morrisons Daily in Bannockburn Road, Stirling, on February 22, and stealing £7 of food from Lidl in the city’s Weaver Road on February 26.
On February 26 he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner to a shop manager at the Lidl by adopting an aggressive demeanour and threatening violence.
The fiscal depute said it was around 4pm when Hutton walked in, picked up pizza and chicken skewers, waited until the door opened and left.
The shop manager followed Hutton out but was told him if he came near he would “get battered”.
On January 30 this year, Hutton stole £15 of alcohol from Broomridge mini-market in Stirling’s Wishart Drive.
He also admitted stealing alcohol and groceries from Co-op in Pike Road, Stirling, on March 27 this year.
On both June 20 and July 7 this year he stole a total of £23.98 of alcohol from Greens in Dunblane‘s High Street.
‘I run this place’
The court also heard details about a theft on February 22 this year at a property in Bannockburn Road, Stirling.
The fiscal depute said a man came downstairs that morning to find two of his Canada Goose jackets missing.
His car keys were still inside one of the jacket pockets.
The property door was closed but had been unlocked.
Police were contacted and arrived to find Hutton in the area and wearing one of the jackets, which he claimed was his own.
But when cautioned, he replied: “He left his door open. This is the top of St Ninians. I run this place.
“You should tell him he needs to lock his door”.
Hutton had the second jacket in a JD Sports bag.
He said he had thrown the car keys in a bin and they were recovered there.
Alcohol abuse blamed
Defence lawyer Alastair Ross said Hutton has been struggling to cope on benefits and sought consolation in alcohol.
Sheriff Hamilton also imposed a requirement for Hutton to be placed on offender supervision for 30 months when he is released from prison, “so you are being punished for all these episodes and also given some support when you come out.”
Hutton asked “so when do I get out?” to which Sheriff Hamilton said: “You will have to work that out”.
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