Teenage boy admits high street shoplifting spree of almost £140,000

A teenage boy has admitted carrying out a shoplifting campaign valued at nearly £140,000 at Boots and Holland and Barrett.

The 17-year-old brazenly took cosmetic products from the shelves in dozens of raids on the London branches of the high street giants over the last two years, magistrates at Highbury Corner Youth Court heard.

The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft – which included 11 counts where he took goods valued at £59,280.07 from Boots.

He had been charged with 56 counts of shoplifting from Boots, and the court was told the other 45 offences would be taken into consideration.

On Monday, he also pleaded guilty to another four thefts at Holland and Barrett, where goods worth more than £2,415 were taken.

He stole goods valued at £137,342.52 from Boots between April 2024 and December 2025, and a haul worth more than £2,415 from Holland and Barrett from October 2025 to this January, the court was told.

The boy has been “shocked” by a warning from his grandfather that he could end up in prison if he does not turn his life around, the court heard.

Asked by the magistrates about the reasons behind his prolific offending, the boy replied: “Sometimes I just get distracted and led by other people, and stuff like that.

“I do not want to be like that anymore. I just want to be with my granddad.”

The boy, who towered over his mother who sat beside him in court, lowered his head into his hands as his charges were being read.

His mother said: “He is easily influenced. We did not know anything about this.

“We have spoken to him about the consequences of it – prison – and he does not want to go down that road.

“My dad is showing him and hoping he will make a change.”

Chair of the magistrates’ bench Jennifer Shewry said the grandfather has “shocked him”, and the mother replied “yes”.

Prosecutor Edward Kalber called for the case to be deal with at crown court “to give maximum latitude for the sentencing decision”.

Describing this case as having “unique circumstances and unique events”, the prosecutor said: “If he was an adult I would say that this should go straight to the crown court.

“The amount of money taken is significant and he is targeting businesses. The impact on the businesses is high.”

He added: “He has repeatedly targeted businesses, some of these offences are repeated at the same venue.”

He targeted Boots shops in Westminster, Lambeth, Camden and Kensington and Chelsea – along with Holland and Barrett stores in Hammersmith and Fulham and Camden.

His guilty pleas included his highest value theft, where he stole £9,316.05 worth of goods from a Boots in Kensington and Chelsea on October 2, 2024.

He was identified through CCTV stealing items in the company of another youth. No further details were given about the other youth.

Sentencing was adjourned to May 7 and the teenager was freed on bail with a condition that he does not go to any Boots or Holland and Barrett store in England and Wales, unless he is accompanied by a family member.

Mrs Shewry told him “we do not get cases like this very often”, and further information may be needed for his sentencing.

She also warned him: “You need to stay out of trouble. This would only get worse.

“If you were to breach those conditions, you will end up in court. “