BP Fourways garage 'fuelling Corby crime wave' after shoplifters strike nearly 200 times in a year

The BP Fourways garage in Corby is ‘fuelling a crime wave’ and after it became an easy target for dozens of shoplifters.

In an unusual step, Northamptonshire Police have publicly aired their frustrations at bosses of the $102 billion firm which, despite multiple meetings with local officers over many months, has still not forked out for security guards to help deter would-be thieves.

Earlier this week a video surfaced online of the M&S food shop being ransacked by a couple with their faces covered who were casually emptying meat shelves of their contents and sweeping them into carrier bags they had brought along while staff looked-on.

A member of the public filmed the video and can be heard asking the thieves ‘do you not think someone’s got to pay for this?’ A staff member says: “They’ve got no thought for anybody but themselves.”

One commenter on social media said: “It’s like Supermarket Sweep.”

Now, after speaking to multiple sources, the Northants Telegraph has learned that the situation at the garage in Cottingham Road is at breaking-point. A source told this newspaper that the issue is feeding Corby’s class-A drug trade.

Police are said to be working day and night to get the situation under control after having to spend a hugely disproportionate amount of time and resources at the garage.

Staff are said to be concerned that the number of incidents are increasing in frequency and seriousness.

Official crime figures show that during 2022, there were 188 shoplifting, violence, robbery, criminal damage or other incidents at the site.

That includes 33 shoplifting offences in just May 2022 alone.

During 2021, there were 117 incidents at the garage and there were 47 in 2020.

It’s also thought there were multiple other incidents that have not been reported.

Shoplifters have seen the forecourt store – which is branded as M&S but is operated by BP – as easy-pickings for many months partly because there are no security guards in place and they are not challenged during stealing sprees.

One person told this newspaper that they have seen police being called to the store seven or eight times a day.

Court records show that one woman, Eleanor Hunter, stole from the store 14 times in three months including multiple times on some days, getting away with items worth more than £2,000. She pleaded guilty and so is only compelled to serve half of her 24 week jail term.

The police beat bus has been stationed at the shop several times, and officers make multiple arrests every week but shoplifters still try to enter the store even after they’ve spotted the police.

A source told this newspaper: “The crack cocaine users can go in, get enough to get their money for their next fix and do it again the next day.

"This is fuelling a crime wave and in turn is fuelling Corby’s drugs industry. These are not soft drugs – it’s crack and heroin. This situation at the BP garage is directly contributing to the addictions of some of the most vulnerable people in Corby.

"The garage is behind a spike in crime and it means insurance premiums for everyone in Corby go up.

"The police are obviously doing everything they can and are down there multiple times every day – but they understandably cannot put an officer there permanently.”

Users are thought to be selling the products they steal in Corby’s less salubrious pubs.

Corby Police have met with company bosses several times to urge them to employ security guards at the store, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The tactic has previously worked well at other crime-hit shops in the town.

This newspaper believes BP had pledged to install guards at the store to protect staff before Christmas – but that never happened and staff are still having to face a daily onslaught of theft.

Local law enforcers are now said to be increasingly frustrated at their situation and at the fact that many repeat offenders are being given only fines or community sentences by the courts, leaving them free to continue their behaviour.

A Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman said: “Over the past 18 months, our officers in Corby have been working extremely hard to try and tackle the issues at the BP Fourways Garage in Cottingham Road.

“This work has included multiple arrests which have resulted in court appearances and convictions, multiple meetings with BP, and the issuing of crime prevention advice to the store and the company themselves.

“We are very frustrated with the situation and the video that is circulating on social media is extremely concerning.

“We would urge BP to work with us to tackle this issue as it’s imperative that this store becomes a safer place for the staff and its customers.”

This newspaper has also been told that if staff challenge shoplifters, they face being disciplined. We asked BP about that but they did not respond directly.

Police are now thought to be considering several options open to them including using council powers to begin legal steps to remove the store’s alcohol licence to prevent crime and disorder.

Officers can potentially also use anti-social behaviour powers that allow them to close down premises that are creating a public nuisance.

A statement from BP said: “The safety of our staff and customers is our number one priority.

“We support all staff at our sites, with measures include staff training, CCTV and security personnel depending on the need at sites. However we don’t discuss details of specific security arrangements at individual sites.

“We are working closely with the police to support their work to arrest and prosecute these criminals.”

Here are just some of the offenders who’ve been arrested, charged and sentenced shoplifting at the BP garage during the past year at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

Connor Gillespie, 31, of Carey Drive, Corby. Three counts of theft worth a total of £615 on January 21, 23, and 24, 2023. Yet to be sentenced.

Louise Wayman, 32, Shire Road, Corby. Two counts of stealing items on August 2 and August 27, 2022. Conditional discharge and compensation of £100.

John David Neil Macaulay, 46, of no fixed abode. One count of stealing 12 bottles of wine worth £120 in December 2022. Two weeks in jail.

David Lee Stocker, 40, of no fixed abode. Two counts of stealing items worth £500 on January 16 and 17, 2023 and one count of resisting arrest. Four weeks in jail.

Margaret Stewart Walker, 37, Deveron Walk, Corby. Two counts of stealing items worth £270 on January 13 and 17, 2022. Eight weeks in jail.

Eleanor Hunter, 34, of no fixed abode. Eighteen shoplifting offences between August 3 and December 1, 2022, with items stolen worth more than £2,000. 24 weeks in jail and banned from the garage.

Eleanor Hunter, 34, Shire Road, Corby. One offence of shoplifting in April 2022. Fined £50 and ordered to pay compensation of £48. Ten other shoplifting offences withdrawn.

Jardine Dewar, 30, of William Street, Kettering. One shoplifting charge of stealing items worth £90 on February 2, 2022. Community order.

David Campbell, 35, of Lerwick Way, Corby. Nine counts of shoplifting meat and alcohol worth £1,160 from the BP garage alongside other theft charges from Next, B&Q, Boots and Farmfoods in April and May 2022. Community order and drug rehabilitation work.

John David Neil Macaulay, 46, Lerwick Way, Corby. Stealing 23 bottles of gin on December 27, 2021, and four bottles on December 28, 2021 alongside 12 other shoplifting offences across Corby and Kettering. 26 weeks in prison.

Jardine Dewar, 30, of William Street, Kettering. One shoplifting charge in April 2022. 16 week suspended jail term.

Lee Mitchell, 35, Culross Walk, Corby. One shoplifting offence in October 2021. Sentence deferred.

Samantha Riley, 28, of no fixed abode. Three offences of shoplifting at BP Fourways alongside 16 other offences across Corby and Kettering. Suspended jail term of 20 weeks.

Leon Campbell, 27, of Plumpton Court, Corby. Eleven counts of stealing items worth more than £620 during summer 2021. Community order, and compensation of £667.50.

Devon Windross, 32, Netherfield Grove, Corby. Four counts of stealing from the BP Garage alongside 20 other offences across Corby. Jailed for 39 weeks and ordered to pay £1,887 in compensation.

Graham Lawson, 31, Thames Walk, Corby. One count of stealing wine worth £176 in May 2022. Conditional discharge and fined £85.