Jail time for shoplifter who targeted Northampton shop on 17 occasions and stole £3,000 worth of alcohol and meat
A “persistent thief” has been jailed after he targeted one Northampton shop 17 times and stole a total of £3,000 worth of meat and alcohol.
Tendai Dyirakumunda, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on February 10, after he pleaded guilty to 19 thefts from shop charges.
The 41-year-old was initially given an 18-week sentence suspended for 12 months by magistrates on December 13, 2025, after pleading guilty to one count of theft from a shop. The charge related to the theft of vinyl records from HMV in the Grosvenor Centre. Dyirakumunda admitted the offence and was ordered to pay £500 in compensation to HMV.
Later in 2025, on two consecutive days – December 14 and 15 – Dyirakumunda targeted the M&S shop at the BP fuel station in Abington Avenue. He stole alcohol and chocolates worth a total of £433.
However, most of his offending occurred at the One Stop Shop in Stanhope Road, where he struck 17 times between December 19 and January 31 and stole more than £3,000 worth of alcohol and meat products.
Neil Cowley of the Northamptonshire Business Crime Partnership said: “Tendai Dyirakumunda’s sentence reflects that he is a persistent thief. He has been given ample opportunity to change his ways and support to help him, but he has chosen to continue his criminal lifestyle.
“We are all victims of shop theft but in this case, to target one store is both financially critical but also demoralising and frustrating for the hard-working staff who shouldn’t have to put up with this type of abuse.”
Dyirakumunda was handed two-week custodial sentences for each of the 19 offences to run consecutively but, following the activation of his suspended sentence, he will serve a total of 56 weeks in prison. He was also ordered to pay £3,576.90 in compensation.
Earlier in 2025, Dyirakumunda was also sentenced to a community order after he broke bail conditions, which stipulated he should not enter any Greggs store. He was also ordered to pay compensation after he stole several items from Greggs on three occasions in March and April last year.