Spalding’s Jake Boyton ordered to pay compensation after incidents including damage to Coocumber store

A man will be forced to pay compensation after being caught in connection with two shop thefts and a case of criminal damage.

Jack Boyton, 35, of Spring Street, Spalding, was arrested following a report that a window at the town’s Coocumber store had been smashed at 9.20pm on Thursday, June 5.

The owners of the Victoria Street premises have praised officers for their quick work in catching the person responsible.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “The local knowledge of our officers played a huge part in the arrest of Boyton.

“He was identified thanks to swift actions of officers obtaining and viewing doorbell footage of the Victoria Street store, Coocumber, and recognising the suspect before tracking him down at a friend’s address.

“He was further tied to the offence following a search of the property he was found in, which unearthed a blue Regatta panelled jacket which matched the clothing worn by the man putting the glass through at the shop.”

Boyton was charged the following day and remanded for a hearing at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Saturday June 7.

At a hearing at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty to criminal damage of Coocumber, and has been ordered to pay £250 compensation.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of theft from Sainsbury’s in Lincoln on June 4, where he stole electric toothbrushes worth £95, as well as a theft from the Original Factory shop in Lincoln on the same day.

On that occasion, he stole three packs of men’s trainer liners, two packs of children’s trainer liners and a pair of men’s walking shoes worth £41.

He was ordered to pay compensation to match the value of the items stolen at both stores. There is a compulsory reduction in benefits to recover the values ordered.