A VIOLENT thief has been jailed for more than seven years after a spate of robberies and shop thefts in Coventry.
Joseph Maughan, 22, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court to seven years and four months in prison for three counts of robbery and four counts of theft.
Maughan was identified by police officers from the Coventry Neighbourhood Crime Team and charged over the offences, which all took place in September and October.
Maughan entered one of the shops at the Warwickshire Retail Park and tried to leave without paying for several packs of meat.
When he was challenged by a member of staff, he punched them in the side of the head before leaving.
Further thefts took place throughout September, including stealing £500 worth of goods from a shop in Humber Drive.
On September 29, Maughan again assaulted a member of shop staff in Binley Road after they tried to stop him leaving with stolen goods.
Finally, in early October, Maughan returned to one of the shops he had previously stolen from, saying to a member of staff: “Remember when I punched you last time,” before again leaving without paying.
Det Sgt Asa Morris from the Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “We are really pleased to have taken a very dangerous individual off the streets of Coventry with such a strong sentence.
“Not only did he steal from businesses in the city, he was prepared to commit acts of violence against anyone who tried to stop him.
“Hopefully this sentence sends out a strong message of how seriously we take this type of offending in Coventry.”
A Coventry Police spokesperson added: “We know the distress and trouble persistent shop thefts can cause businesses, and we are taking action across the force.
“Along with custodial sentences, we regularly apply for Criminal Behaviour Orders against people responsible for persistent thefts.
“These orders allow us to prevent people from visiting places they are known to offend. If found there, they can be arrested and brought back before the courts.
“We made 1,272 arrests for shop thefts in the first four months of 2025, a significant increase on the same period in 2023.
“During the first quarter of 2025, we detected more of these offences than any other force in the country.”
