A Birmingham man with a long history of offending has been spared jail despite repeatedly stealing whisky worth thousands of pounds from supermarkets across Worcestershire.
Jamie Latham, 45, carried out a signature method of theft known as the ‘crisp trick’, where he would conceal expensive bottles of alcohol beneath packets of crisps in his shopping trolley. This tactic allowed him to exit stores like Morrisons and Tesco in Redditch and Malvern without detection, after making a few genuine purchases such as squash or muffins.
Court proceedings at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 28 September revealed that Latham removed security tags from bottles of popular whiskies, including Jack Daniel’s and Cardhu, before hiding them. One incident alone involved the theft of 12 bottles of Cardhu whisky valued at approximately £580 on 12 June.
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Prosecutor Shajah Javed explained that while security staff did recover alcohol on occasion, much of the stolen stock was not retrieved. Latham worked in concert with a female associate, visiting aisles where they were seen removing security tags before proceeding to the self-service tills.
Defence solicitor Mohammed Amir Riaz indicated that Latham accepted responsibility by pleading guilty at an early stage and expressed genuine remorse for his actions. He emphasised Latham’s struggle with a severe Class A drug addiction which significantly contributed to his offending. The solicitor further noted that the offending coincided with personal difficulties, including a breakdown in relations with his mother.
Magistrate Ms Hake acknowledged Latham’s troubled background and addiction issues, stating she believed custody would not be beneficial at this time but expressed concern over the repeated nature of his offences. She imposed a 24-month community order, including nine months on a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement, 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days, and four months of electronic monitoring by tag.
Additionally, Latham was ordered to pay £200 in court costs. Ms Hake emphasised the sentence was an opportunity for Latham to address his addiction and change his life path. She warned that failure to do so would almost certainly result in imprisonment upon any future offences.