A man who burgled an Essex charity shop has been jailed for more than two years.
Luke Harvey, 32, targeted several shops and businesses in the Harwich area on several occasions in February and March of this year.
Among the shops targeted was one run by the East Anglia Children’s Hospices (EACH).
Other targets included restaurants, hair salons and florists, with damage caused to many of the shops and businesses.
On each occasion investigated by Essex Police officers, they gathered DNA evidence, CCTV and witness statements tying Harvey to the offences.
The news comes less than a year after charity retailers reported an increase in shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in their shops in the Charity Shops Survey 2024.
Burglar banned from local area
Harvey was arrested on 18 March at an address in Harwich and was subsequently charged with seven counts of burglary, to which he eventually pleaded guilty.
Stolen goods including a computer monitor and a small sum of cash, alongside clothing, were seized, although it is unclear from which shop these goods were stolen.
Appearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on 7 August, Harvey was jailed for two years and 11 months.
He was also made the subject of a criminal behaviour order, banning him from entering the Harwich and Dovercourt areas for three years.
Charity ‘sad and extremely disappointed’
An EACH spokesperson said: “Suffice to say, we were very sad and extremely disappointed to be the victims of this break-in.
“Our retail operation is a vital source of income and helps us provide the best possible care and support to children and families across the region.
“This year alone, we need to raise £9.8m from our shop and online sales, and just 15% of our total income comes from the government, county councils and the NHS.”
