Banbridge man used ‘reduced’ label to steal from Tesco

A 53 year old Banbridge man who used a “reduced” price sticker to self scan items through Tesco, has pleaded guilty to six counts of theft.

Last week’s court heard how Brendan David Buchanan from Kenlis Place used the 34p label to obtain various smaller prices items such as bread and sandwiches as well as a pair of shoes.

District Judge Mr Copeland told Buchanan that if he intended to pursue a career as a thief, it would be short lived and he would go to prison.

He was given a conditional discharge for two years and had to pay back £12.47.

The court was told how on October 11 store security officers at Tesco watched Buchanan use a previously reduced label to self scan items.

An alarm sounded and officers watched him on CCTV remove a label from a pair of shoes after he left the store.

When approached and asked to show the receipt, he said he had lost it.

Buchanan became verbally abusive and walked off leaving the shoes.

Solicitor Mr Gillen said his client had moved back from England and found himself in the middle of a benefits mix up having none for two weeks.

Mr Gillen said his client was highly embarrassed.

Judge Copeland said: “I would have tended to look towards sympathy had it not been for the fact you have multiple convictions in the past and already are a convicted thief.

“What you were doing here was a determined and manipulative number of thefts in a devised pattern.”

“This system was deliberate and persistent.”