A Bridgend woman who spent eight months repeatedly stealing from shops across the town has been jailed – and banned from ever entering the stores she targeted again.
It is not the first time Emma Faulkner has faced the courts for shoplifting. She was jailed for four weeks in December after stealing £927 worth of beauty products from The Cosmetic Company at McArthurGlen – the very same store she would go on to target again for £1,500 just months later.
Faulkner, 48, was sentenced to ten months in prison after appearing at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
She was convicted of multiple shoplifting offences after targeting businesses across Bridgend over the past eight months.
Among her offences was the theft of £1,500 worth of items from The Cosmetic Store at McArthurGlen Bridgend – one of the town’s busiest retail destinations.
She also stole £40 worth of goods from Poundland on Adare Street and £30 worth of candles from the Yankee Candle shop, alongside numerous other shoplifting incidents.
Faulkner was also sentenced for being drunk and disorderly in a public place.
As well as the prison sentence, officers applied for a Criminal Behaviour Order lasting two years – prohibiting Faulkner from entering the stores she repeatedly targeted.
In a further penalty, her dog has been taken away from her and she has been banned from keeping animals for five years.
The case was investigated by the Bridgend Neighbourhood Policing Team.
Sergeant Daniel Parry said persistent retail crime had a direct impact on communities and local businesses. “We want to be clear – those who choose to repeatedly offend will be identified, targeted, and dealt with robustly,” he said.
Parry said officers would continue to pursue repeat offenders. “Our officers will relentlessly pursue those responsible and use all available powers to bring them to justice,” he added.
The sentence follows a wider effort by South Wales Police to tackle retail crime across the Bridgend area, with neighbourhood policing teams increasingly using Criminal Behaviour Orders as a tool to protect businesses from prolific offenders.
Retailers suffering from shoplifting are encouraged to report every incident to South Wales Police on 101 to help build the intelligence picture needed to pursue repeat offenders through the courts.
Anyone with information about shoplifting or retail crime can also report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
