Man sentenced for commercial burglaries in Carpenders Park

Dear Resident

A man has been sentenced after being convicted of two commercial burglaries at the Co-op in Carpenders Park.

Jason Harding, aged 53, of no fixed abode, appeared at Hatfield Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Wednesday 1 October) and was remanded into custody.

Following an investigation by the Three Rivers Crime Investigation Department (CID) – and supported by the Oxhey Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) – Harding was charged in connection with two incidents which happened at the store on Delta Gain during the summer.

The first occurred on Thursday 10 July this year, where more than £300 worth of cigarettes were stolen. The second occurred six days later, on Wednesday 16 July, where cigarettes worth in excess of £900 were taken. 

Sergeant Aimee McKenna, who leads the Oxhey NPT, said: “We are pleased to have secured a conviction in connection with these two incidents, which impacted the same business twice in the space of a less than a week.

“Throughout the summer, we intensified our focus on retail crime not only in Oxhey but across the district as a whole, and we are continuing this momentum into the autumn, pursuing those who cause harm to our local businesses.”

Harding appeared before Hatfield Remand Court again yesterday (1 October) and was handed a 12-week sentence for the offences, suspended for 12 months.

You can report information about a crime online at herts.police.uk/report or speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat, which can be launched here: herts.police.uk/contact. You also call the non-emergency number 101. If a crime is in progress call 999.

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.