Telford burglar stole food after becoming homeless when partner died
A homeless burglar stole food multiple times after losing his home when his partner died, a court was told.
Milosz Naterski, aged 37, burgled First Choice Holiday Hypermarket once, and made four attempts to steal food from life and pensions consolidator Phoenix/Reassure Ltd - with three of them successful.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that Naterski targeted the holiday firm's Forge Retail Park premises in Telford on May 21 this year. Security guards who were checking the site found Naterski at the rear. He fled after they asked him what he was doing there. He was letter found with a rucksack containing bolt cutters, a broken padlock and a screwdriver.
He then burgled Phoenix/Reassure Ltd in Ironmasters Way, Telford, on June 5, 19 and 25. Each time he targeted an outside chiller containing food in the early hours of the morning. On one occasion he stole £108 worth of items. On another he stole 50 baking potatoes worth £11.52. On the third occasion he filled up a trolley with £269 worth of goods including bread, cheese and eggs, before walking away with them.
The night after his first burglary at Phoenix/Reassure Ltd, he tried to steal from the chiller again but was thwarted as the doors had been replaced.
Naterski, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to four counts of burglary and one of attempted burglary. He has a previous conviction for possession of cannabis.
Alexa Carrier, mitigating, said Naterski committed the offences "during a time he was struggling". "His motivation was the food he was stealing," she added.
Naterski had spent the previous four-and-a-half months behind bars and Judge Peter Barrie deemed that length of time a sufficient punishment, but wanted to include a community order to help him put some stability into his life.
"You were homeless at the time at least in part due to the sad death of your partner which resulted in the loss of your accommodation," he told Naterski.
"A pre-sentence report recommends that you would benefit from some rehabilitation activity with the probation service.
Naterski was handed an 18-month community order including 20 rehabilitation activity days. He will stay with his brother after his prison release.
