POLICE are today warning serial shoplifters that they will be punished if they continue to break the law after a prolific offender has been put behind bars.

POLICE are today warning serial shoplifters that they will be punished if they continue to break the law after a prolific offender has been put behind bars.

John Millwood, of Hyntle Close, Ipswich, was caught shoplifting more than 100 times by officers and mainly stole food to exchange for drugs to feed his habit.

But luck ran out for the 43-year-old who was last week convicted to two years in prison at Ipswich Crown Court for breaking an Anti-Social Behaviour Order, theft and burglary.

A spokesman for Ipswich police said: “The sentencing in this particular case sends out a clear message to offenders.

“If you commit a crime and ignore steps taken by the criminal justice system to curb offending then you will be punished.”

Millwood had been jailed for 14 days in March for shoplifting and an anti-social behaviour order was made to stop him entering various shops.

However the court heard that he repeatedly broke his restrictions and stole meat and dairy from Sainsbury's in Hadleigh Road, went to Suffolk Retail Park from where he had been banned and was spotted on CCTV in a food store from where he was banned and the staff watched as he stole six packets of food valued at £10.

On June 3 he was remanded in custody but released again on bail on June 26 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

It was while he was on bail that Millwood committed the burglary. Again he was remanded in custody and on September 13 he was again released on bail while another report and an assessment for drug rehabilitation was considered.

He then stole five joints of meat worth £9 each from Lidl's.

He pleaded guilty to breaching the ASBO, theft and burglary.

Jonathan Seely, mitigating, said Millwood told police: “They let me out of prison and I had no money, I had no clothes, I am a shoplifter.”