A SERIAL thief who stole from stores across Poole throughout 2020 has been jailed – seven months after he avoided imprisonment for multiple drug driving and shoplifting offences.

Ryan Anthony Velkoop, 27, admitted a raft of charges, which featured thefts, use of threatening abusive words or behaviour, handling stolen goods, drunk and disorderly behaviour, failing to comply with supervision requirements and taking a bike without the owner’s consent.

The defendant also admitted offending while subject to a suspended sentence order, made in February by magistrates for six counts of drug driving, as well as two thefts.

At Poole Magistrates’ Court on September 17, Velkoop, of Sterte Close, Poole, was jailed for 40 weeks.

The first of his charges related to the theft of two bottles of vodka from Asda in Poole on January 7.

The following week he took a total of £102 of meat from two Co-op stores in Poole.

On February 24 and 25, he snatched five bottles of spirit from Asda in Poole and then on February 27 he shoplifted a £180 haul of Jack Daniels Whiskey.

His crimes continued into March when he again stole spirits, on this occasion £90 worth from Sainsbury’s in Pitwines Close, Poole, on March 11.

Three days later his attention turned to confectionery, with 40 packets of Cadbury Mini Eggs being taken from Poundland in Poole.

On March 22, Velkoop was involved in the handling of stolen goods, namely six packets of washing powder, in High Street, Poole.

He went through April without committing an offence before three crimes in Poole on May 10. The defendant stole £18 worth of chicken from Co-op in Wimborne Road, £45 of meat from Tesco in Fernside Road and took a bicycle without the owner’s consent in Heckford Road.

On June 6, he was guilty of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour in Poole High Street.

Over July 9 and 10, he stole 10 packets of burgers from M&S in Broadstone and £87.80 worth of meat from BP Express in Weymouth with a woman.

On August 9, he was guilty of being drunk and disorderly in Bournemouth.

Velkoop also failed to comply with requirements of the probation service and breached the suspended sentence order.