A serial thief who stole £16,000 worth of taps from B&Q has been jailed for three years.
Daniel Cleveland targeted different branches 11 times over a one-year-and-one-month period.
He mainly stole bathroom taps.
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The 33-year-old carried out the thefts in Greenwich, south east London, Kent, Hampshire, Essex and Buckinghamshire.
He struck between February last year and this March with an accomplice.
CCTV footage captured Daniel in B&Q in Larkfield, Kent, throwing stolen items over a fence from inside the garden centre to an accomplice waiting outside.
The pair retrieved the goods from the other side and loaded them into a getaway vehicle with false plates.
Cleveland was tracked down and arrested at his home on 30 April.
Police are still hunting his accomplice, as reported by Need to Know.
Daniel, of Bromley, pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft and three counts of attempted theft at Lewes crown court on 19 August.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “The Met is prioritising neighbourhood policing, putting more officers in local teams to tackle issues that matter most to Londoners, including shoplifting.
“Officers worked with B&Q to review nine reports of theft and three reports of attempted theft carried out between February 2024 and March 2025.
“We work with businesses to target the most prolific offenders, as we know the fear they cause retail workers and the negative impact their offending has on communities.
“As a result, neighbourhood crime is down 15.5 per cent this year and we have solved 92 per cent more shoplifting so far this year.”
A B&Q spokesperson added: “This case highlights the power of collaboration and intelligence sharing between retailers and the police.
“It sends a clear message to those who target B&Q and other retailers that we will take every appropriate action to identify offenders and fully support law enforcement in bringing them to justice.
“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime.
“B&Q is firmly committed to protecting and supporting our colleagues from the impacts of shoplifting, and to the safety and security of our customers.”
He was sentenced to three years in jail on 25 September.
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