Exclusive:Thief arrested on Christmas Day for snatching festive Grinch decorations grossed over £4k during spree
Milner hit one of the stores so badly that it had become “unprofitable” - leading to an opening hours cut and staff “wage reductions”
A South Yorkshire thief arrested on Christmas Day after snatching £200 of Grinch Christmas decorations notched up 31 shop thefts and a store burglary - grossing over £4,000 during the spree.
Richard Milner, 33, hit one of the stores so badly that it had become “unprofitable” - leading to an opening hours cut and staff “wage reductions” Judge Graham Robinson heard.
New dad of a two-week-old baby Milner was on police bail during 24 of the offences - which began at the end of October and finally came to an end at the close of April.
Judge Robinson told Milner he was in “no doubt” that the only appropriate sentence was “immediate custody”.
Paige Yellott, prosecuting, described how Milner targeted Home Bargains between October 29 and December 6, 2025, also pilfering around £100 of vodka gift sets.
She added: “The offending is relatively unsophisticated - he walks in alone, selects items and leaves without making payment.”
However after being bailed, larcenous Milner targeted Tesco and Asda at various Rotherham locations for the next few months - racking up an impressive total of £3,129.
Apart from the shop thefts he and an unknown accomplice scaled a wall into the stock yard of Asda on Dale Hall Road on April 23 this year and swiped over £400 of coffee milkshakes and other drinks.
However crooked Milner was identified by the fingerprints he left at the rear of the store, said Ms Yellott.
The barrister described how Milner “mostly” focused on chicken, meat, fish, dairy products and detergents. She added: “Tesco staff describe him as non-violent but he does make derogatory comments.
“He is causing stress for lone female staff and having an impact on wages due to the store becoming less profitable.” Milner, of, Greasborough Road, Parkgate, admitted shop theft and burglary.
Including the latest convictions he had 11 for 45 offences comprising of 36 of “dishonesty”. However his last offences before the shoplifting were wounding and sexual assault by touching in 2023.
Milner’s barrister said his client had demonstrated “awareness” of his offending and was a new father of a two-week-old baby motivated to wean himself of his crack addiction.
Judge Robinson told Milner: “There goods were all carefully selected for their easy retail potential and they were generally high-value items.
“It’s because of people like you that chocolate is found behind secure racks - because it’s so easy to steal for resale.
“Losses have to be made good and the obvious way to make losses good is to put up prices. That has a real impact on customers who are already struggling to make ends meet in these difficult economic times.
“Everybody is fed-up with the scourge of shoplifting.” The judge told Milner that suspending his sentence would be “wholly inappropriate”, adding: “I have no doubt whatsoever that you will offend again.”
Milner was jailed for 13 months and handed a three-year criminal behaviour order.