Brazen thief caught on CCTV sentenced as new figures show a drop in shoplifting in the City

City of London Police’s efforts to tackle shop thefts through increased patrols and visible engagement has generated results, as latest figures reveal a fall in shoplifting in the Square Mile.

In the 12 months to September 2025, figures show there were 1,453 shop thefts reported, compared to 1,536 from the same period in 2024: a five percent drop.

One prolific thief was recently given a prison sentence after he repeatedly targeted shops in the City of London.

Desmond Ollever, 48, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to five counts of theft.

On 22 August 2025, at around 5:30pm, Ollever was spotted in a shop on High Holborn stealing items from the fridge. The thief became aggressive to members of staff who tried to stop him before leaving the store.

The shoplifter struck again on 5 January 2026, when he was caught on CCTV putting items inside his coat at a store on Aldgate High Street before walking out without payment.

Sergeant James Wood, of the Proactive Acquisitive Crime Team at the City of London Police, said:

“We understand that shoplifting is not a victimless crime; it directly impacts businesses, their staff and also shoppers.

“We never view shop theft as a low-level crime and our officers are proactively addressing this issue and working with stores across the City of London by identifying offenders quickly, gathering CCTV evidence and taking swift action against those who steal.

“While incidents of shoplifting in the City have come down, we will continue our proactive measures, including patrols in retail areas, and encourage retailers to come forward and report any crime so we can start investigations.”

Ollever was also sentenced for the following offences:

• On 5 November 2025, Ollever went into a store on Eldon Street and stole around £290 worth of vitamin products.
• On 27 November 2025, he stole around £361 worth of products at a shop on Moorgate.
• On 6 January 2026, he stole around £163 worth of items from a shop on Aldgate High Street.

Separately, another shoplifter has been banned from entering the City of London for two years.

Alexander Ross, 51, of no fixed abode, was given a Criminal behaviour Order after pleading guilty to a theft in December 2025 and a burglary in January 2025.

Ross was also sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Note to editors: Shoplifting figures from the Office of National Statistics