A serial shoplifter has been barred from major supermarket chains and a Lancashire town following a string of thefts that led to his arrest and imprisonment, it has emerged this week.
Max Bancroft, 33, of Higher Causeway in Barrowford, appeared at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court, where he confessed to carrying out a series of burglaries and thefts over the course of four months. The court heard how Bancroft targeted both Morrisons and Aldi locations, treating the aisles as an opportunity for what police later dubbed his own ‘pick ‘n’ mix’.
According to Lancashire Police, Bancroft’s offending included three burglaries at Morrisons and one at an Aldi branch in Burnley, as well as four counts of stealing vodka from Morrisons. The offences, which displayed both persistence and audacity, led to his conviction and a stringent sentence.
Magistrates handed Bancroft a custodial sentence of 60 weeks, underlining the seriousness of his repeated criminal behaviour. Additionally, to prevent further incidents, the court imposed a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order. This legal measure prohibits him from setting foot in any Morrisons store or visiting the Aldi in Burnley, as well as entering the town of Nelson. Local police forces have welcomed these restrictions as an important step in protecting businesses and the public from recurrent theft.
Colne and West Craven Police, sharing the outcome on social media, wrote: “From the aisles to the cells… Max Bancroft clearly mistook Nelson and Burnley for his personal pick ‘n’ mix – but the only thing he’s bagging now is an 8pm bedtime.” Authorities highlighted the continuing effect of such orders, with Bancroft set to face a further two years of behavioural restrictions even after serving his prison sentence.
The term ‘five finger discount’ is a well-known colloquialism for shoplifting. The case comes against the backdrop of a marked rise in shoplifting incidents across both England and Wales. Police records reveal that the number of recorded shoplifting offences has soared, reaching 530,643 incidents in 2024/25. This represents a striking 20% increase from the previous yearly total, and stands as the highest level since the current method of recording began over two decades ago.
Simultaneously, thefts from individuals remain prominent, with figures showing 151,220 such cases logged in the year leading up to March – up 15% compared with the previous twelve months. Although knife crime has seen a marginal decrease, these statistics indicate retailers face significant and sustained challenges in tackling theft.
Retailers continue to invest in security measures and collaborate with law enforcement in efforts to curb crime within shops. For local businesses, habitual offenders can have a substantial impact on both morale and financial performance, prompting renewed calls for deterrent sentences and stronger preventative frameworks.
As the judicial process concludes for Bancroft, police and business operators alike will be monitoring the enforcement of his restrictions closely. The case serves as a reminder of the mounting pressures that shoplifting poses not only to retailers but to communities at large, and the steps being taken to address this growing issue.
The increasing prevalence of such crimes suggests that effective collaboration between authorities, businesses, and communities will remain essential. Local residents and shopkeepers alike will now watch to see whether measures like Criminal Behaviour Orders can make a tangible difference in reducing repeat offending.