Serial burglar jailed by private prosecution after police refused to investigate

David Hanson was a well-known shoplifter in the neighbourhood (Picture: Google Maps)

A serial burglar who broke into an M&S store to steal steak and 20 prosecco bottles has become the first in the country to be privately prosecuted.

David Hanson, 44, who had 105 previous convictions including 33 burglaries, was arrested at the supermarket while also stealing £500 of sirloin and T-bone steak.

The manager of the M&S at Streatham Hill, London, called police after catching Hanson on CCTV – but detectives decided not to investigate.

Instead, private investigators company TM Eye took up the case. The firm, founded by a former Scotland Yard chief, provides uniformed security staff to retailers to combat shoplifting.

TM Eye successfully mounted a prosecution against Hanson, the first time a private company has done this for a burglar.

Hanson has been jailed for a year on charges including four burglaries and one assault on an M&S employee, The Telegraph reported. 

Hanson will spend a year behind bars

CCTV showed Hanson smashing through a reinforced glass window to steal the high-priced goods.

Investigators recognised him immediately, his face all too known to staff in the local area.

TM Eye founder and former chief inspector David McKelvey said of when they arrested Hanson: ‘He was wearing the same clothing as worn during the burglary.

‘He was detained and immediately admitted the recent burglary and an earlier burglary at the same premises some days before which was also written off by police.

‘The lesson is that every burglary deserves an investigation because there is always an opportunity to solve the case if you take the time to do the basics.’

TM Eye, which has its own legal department that are treated the same as state prosecutors, has previously helped prosecute 280 shoplifters.

The rate of shoplifting in England and Wales has hit its highest level in more than two decades.

There were 402,482 shoplifting offences in the 12 months up to September 2023, the first time the number has exceeded 400,000 since records began in 2002.

With a years-long cost of living crisis sending prices skyrocketing, some families have resorted to stealing essentials such as baby formula, while supermarkets security tag cheese and butter.

As shoplifting rates continue to rise, so do other retail crimes. Last year saw roughly 1,700 incidents of violence and abuse against shop staff, up from 870 per day the year before, a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) found.

BRC said the cost of theft doubled to £1,800,000,000 in 2022/23 with over 45,000 incidents a day.

Police responses to retail crime, 60% of respondents said, were ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.

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