A man has been jailed for the theft of more than £11,000 worth of cigarettes and tobacco from shops across three counties, including Audlem near Nantwich.
Michael Mongan, (pictured) of no fixed address but from Birmingham, appeared at Chester Crown Court to be sentenced after pleading guilty to five counts of theft from a shop.
A further charge of theft was to remain on file.
Mongan was jailed for 29 months in jail for stealing £11,086.60 of goods including tobacco and alcohol from shops in Audlem, Middlewich, Knutsford, Wrexham, Sandbach and Ely.
On 7 February he stole tobacco and cigarettes from the One Stop Shop on High Street, Ely, Cambridgeshire worth £2,581.95.
Then on 19 February the 27-year-old went into the Overton convenience store in Salop Road, Wrexham and stole cigarettes to the value of £3,913.86. He was identified as the culprit through facial recognition.
On Wednesday 25 February he entered the Co-Op store in Audlem and stole £3,173.40.
The same day he targeted the Co-Op on Parkgate Lane, Knutsford where he took £1,438.24 worth of cigarettes and tobacco.
Then on 26 February he stole £1,819.50 worth of cigarettes and tobacco from Morrisons Daily Store on Poplar Drive, Middlewich, and on 7 March stole £741.60 of cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol from the Co-Op on Middlewich Road, Sandbach.
PC James Rowley said: “Following extensive CCTV enquiries and cross border enquiries, we were able to identify Mongan as one of two males who had targeted the shops in a month-long spree.
“Now he is paying the price for his actions and will spend the foreseeable future behind bars.
“Mongan initially entered a not-guilty plea, eventually changing this due to our commitment to strengthen the case and bring him to justice.”
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