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I wanted to provide you with an update regarding Theft - (shoplifting, personal, other), which people around your area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the priority survey. A 46-year-old man from Southampton has been jailed for eight months after pleading guilty to multiple shopliftings and Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) breaches.
James Dempsey, of Romsey Road, admitted to stealing more than £1,000 worth of items from various stores in Lymington and Pennington.
On Saturday 6 June, he stole £600 worth of meat, butter, alcohol and fabric softener from Waitrose, Stanford Road, Lymington and Tesco Express, The Square, Pennington.
The previous day, on Friday 5 June, he failed to pay for £140 worth of meat from Tesco Express, The Square, Pennington.
On Thursday 4 June, Dempsey stole £426.40 worth of meat and fabric softener from Morrisons Daily, Milford Road, Lymington and Marks & Spencer, St Thomas Street, Lymington.
He also pleaded guilty to making off without paying for £95.23 of diesel from Loaders Garage, St Johns Road, New Milton on Wednesday 8 October 2025.
Dempsey was sentenced to eight months behind bars when he appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday (8 June).
The sentencing also reflects nine breaches of his CBO for entering the stores from which he was already banned.
Sergeant Andy Gwyer, of the New Forest Neighbourhood Enforcement Team, said: “I am pleased for the stores in question, as well as the wider business community here, that Dempsey has been held accountable for his actions.
"Retail crime remains one of our local priorities, in addition to the many other things the team is dealing with on a daily basis.
“This case should once again demonstrate our commitment to seriously tackling shoplifting across the New Forest.
“This sentence will afford businesses in our district, and beyond, much-needed and deserved protection from Dempsey’s offending.”
Directly addressing the shops in question, Sergeant Gwyer, said: “I want to place on record my huge thanks to the business concerned in this case for their support, helping to achieve this outcome at court.
“I hope this case again sends out a very clear message to others thinking of committing criminality in Lymington and beyond. We won’t tolerate it and we will work tirelessly to bring you before the courts, where you will face justice.”
If you are a shop owner or staff member, please continue to report any incidents of shoplifting to us.
You can do this by calling 101, or by reporting online via the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website, below;
How to tell us about an existing case or report | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
You can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or via the below link;
Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers
With your information, we can take action, including arresting and charging suspects and convicting offenders at court, as the above again demonstrates.
 If you ever experience this issue or have information regarding an incident, please report it using our online reporting tools at www.hampshire.police.uk, or call the non-emergency number 101. Alternatively, you can stay 100 per cent anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org. Get Involved Please consider getting involved by registering for these messages, this will enable you to contribute to the local priority survey. We may be unaware of issues that you would like us to focus on. Take a few minutes to securely and privately register and have your say using the button below, this will mean we can focus on things that matter to you. 
Please click here to complete the survey
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