Overview

• Bancroft, 33, of Higher Causeway in Barrowford, pleaded guilty at Blackburn Magistrates Court to three Morrisons burglaries, one at Aldi and four counts of vodka theft from Morrisons.
• He received a 60-week prison sentence and a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order that prohibits him from entering Morrisons, the Aldi in Burnley and the town of Nelson.
• Lancashire Police said Bancroft treated Nelson and Burnley like his “personal pick ’n’ mix” as he carried out the offences over four months.
• Colne and West Craven Police publicised the case on Facebook to underscore the consequences of repeat retail crime.
• Shoplifting offences in England and Wales reached a record 530,643 in 2024/25, highlighting the broader challenge facing retailers and law enforcement.