Thief Stole £2,000 Worth of Goods to Feed Drug Addiction
A man stole over £2,000 in goods to support his drug addiction, expressing regret and a desire to improve for his children’s sake
Merthyr Tydfil, Cardiff, Wales, Guissepi Depaolo, Theft, Burglary, Drug Addiction
Merthyr Tydfil: So, there’s this guy, Guissepi Depaolo, who got into some serious trouble. He stole over £2,000 worth of stuff from different shops just to feed his drug habit. He even admitted in court that his actions were “embarrassing and shameful.” He really wants to turn things around for his kids.
On July 12, he broke into Trago Mills and took a till with £163 in cash. He caused about £400 in damage while doing it, and of course, the CCTV caught him red-handed. Not a great look, right?
Then, on August 3, he swiped two mountain bikes worth £1,100 from Sports Direct using bolt cutters. He didn’t stop there; he also stole tobacco worth £81 from a Co-op after a spat with a staff member. Talk about bad luck!
Things didn’t get better for him. On September 16, he took food from Tesco Express in Cardiff. He had a string of thefts from a Tesco Superstore in Aberdare, grabbing everything from homeware to groceries. In total, he racked up £2,472 in thefts and damages.
Guissepi, who lives on John Street in Aberdare, pleaded guilty to burglary and multiple theft charges. He’s got a long history of trouble, with 15 thefts and five burglaries under his belt.
In court, he represented himself and opened up about his past. He said he’s been in and out of prison for years and regrets his actions. He’s been battling a drug problem for two decades and finally started getting help while in custody. He really wants to be a better dad to his kids.
Judge Paul Hobson acknowledged that Guissepi showed some understanding of why he ended up in this mess. He ended up getting a 24-month prison sentence. Hopefully, this time he can get the help he needs.
This interactive tool allows you to check the latest crime statistics for your area: