Prolific Watford thief dodges prison after stealing again

Shahjahan Miah, 35, was given eight weeks’ prison last August after nabbing £502 of Hugo Boss clothing in Watford earlier last year.

At the time he had been banned from the town centre and was serving a suspended sentence.

This week Miah, of Bury Lane in Rickmansworth, pleaded guilty to stealing £142 of Hollister items on January 27 this year – again while banned.

Shahjahan Miah, 35, of Bury Lane in Rickmansworth. Picture: Herts Police. (Image: Hertfordshire Constabulary)

It happened while he was serving a 12-week prison sentence that had been suspended for a year, issued on December 16.

According to court papers, imprisonment for the breach was deemed “not appropriate because [of] the exceptional circumstances of the case, namely changed location of home address, [and] probation recommended a further opportunity before activation”.

St Albans Magistrates’ Court ruled those factors “justify not imposing a sentence of imprisonment”.

The original suspended sentence was extended to 18 months and he was ordered to pay £341.

Read more:

• ‘Prolific’ shoplifter banned from Watford Town Centre for two years

In February 2019 Miah stole two bottles of perfume from Boots while banned from the premises and serving a suspended sentence, for which the suspended sentence was amended.

He was also jailed for 44 weeks in November 2017 after admitting 11 counts of shoplifting from stores in Watford town centre.