A 44-YEAR-OLD man stole almost £700-worth of cosmetics products from a Ringwood shop – while a police officer was already in the store.

Owen James Sacala, of Palmerston Road, Bournemouth, was fined £50 and was ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs after admitting shoplifting when he appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Friday (November 9).

Sacala is also now subject to a 12-month community order, with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement, and 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was charged after a theft from Boots, in Southampton Road, Ringwood, at just after 3pm on Wednesday, November 8.

The court was Sacala entered the store and stole £697 worth of cosmetic products.

An officer, at the store on an unrelated matter, was told of suspicions Sacala had taken items and detained him outside the shop.

Sergeant Arron Wood, of the New Milton Neighbourhood Policing Team at Hampshire Police, said: “This was a really good piece of policing by one of our officers.

“He was in the store on an unrelated matter when he was told about a suspected shoplifter. He then quickly detained Sacala outside the shop.

“As I have said before, retail crime in Hampshire is one of the force’s current priorities and we will continue to support that by robustly dealing with shoplifters.

“We will always deal with these matters seriously and will make all efforts to identify offenders and bring them before the courts.”

Shop owners and staff are urged to report shoplifting to police on 101, or by reporting online via the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website.