A prolific shoplifter who targeted B&Q superstores across London and the South East has been jailed.
Daniel Cleveland, 33, stole around £16,000 worth of items, mainly taps, from DIY outlets over a 13-month period.
Cleveland worked with an accomplice who has never been found nor has any of their haul.
In one instance in Larkfield, Kent, security cameras caught Cleveland and the other man throwing stolen stock over a fence from inside the garden centre of the store.
The pair then collected the goods from the other side and bundled them into a getaway vehicle on false plates.
Body-worn footage released on Monday shows the moment Metropolitan Police officers arrested Cleveland at his home in Lamerock Road, Bromley, on April 30.
The stores hit were in Greenwich, south east London, Ashford in Kent, Farnborough in Hampshire, West Thurrock and Braintree in Essex and Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
At Lewes Crown Court, he was sentenced to three years in jail having pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft and three of attempted theft
Chief Inspector Rav Pathania, the Met’s lead for tackling retail crime, said: “The Met is prioritising neighbourhood policing, putting more officers in local teams to tackle issues that matter most to Londoners, including shoplifting.
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“Officers worked with B&Q to review nine reports of theft and three reports of attempted theft carried out between February 2024 and March 2025.
“We work with businesses to target the most prolific offenders, as we know the fear they cause retail workers and the negative impact their offending has on communities.
“As a result, neighbourhood crime is down 15.5 per cent this year and we have solved 92 per cent more shoplifting so far this year.”
Simon Moss, B&Q’s security and commercial stockloss manager, said: “This case highlights the power of collaboration and intelligence sharing between retailers and the police.
“It sends a clear message to those who target B&Q and other retailers that we will take every appropriate action to identify offenders and fully support law enforcement in bringing them to justice.
“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. B&Q is firmly committed to protecting and supporting our colleagues from the impacts of shoplifting, and to the safety and security of our customers.”
Enquiries are ongoing to locate the other suspect, Scotland Yard said.
