IPSWICH: A meat thief who also stole a large amount of washing-up liquid has avoided a spell in jail and has been banned from certain shops.

Shoplifter Jason Grundy, of Shackleton Square, Ipswich, was spared prison, but is now banned from all the town’s Co-op stores after he admitted five thefts in just over three weeks.

The 25-year-old’s shoplifting spree began when he stole 21 items containing washing-up liquid from the Co-op in Foxhall Road, Ipswich, on February 8.

He managed to get away with seven Bold gels, seven bottles of Ariel, and seven bottles of Fairy Liquid. The total retail value was �102.20.

Grundy then went into the Co-op in Hines Road, Ipswich, on February 15 and smuggled out five bottles of Bold washing-up liquid and four bottles of Ariel. They were valued at �33.36.

Three days later Grundy then began stealing meat.

He returned to the Co-op in Foxhall Road where he took three joints worth �30.

On February 21 he went back to Hines Road Co-op and stole ten packs of ham, ten packs of roast chicken breast, and two beef joints, valued at �61.40.

Finally, Grundy targeted the Foxhall Road store for a third time on March 1, stealing �70 of meat in the form of seven beef joints.

He was arrested and charged on March 7.

After Grundy entered pleas to the shoplifting offences magistrates gave him a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Grundy was also given a 12-month supervision order and an exclusion order that bars him from any Co-op store in Ipswich for a year.

In addition he must pay the Co-op compensation of �172.20 for the thefts on March 1 and February 8.

n Have shoplifters affected your business? E-mail eveningstar letters@eveningstar.co.uk or write to Star Letters, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.