Jailed: 'Spice head' thief hit shop worker with vodka bottle and said 'merry Christmas' as he stole
A serial thief who called a cashier "darling" as he stole cigarettes and hit another worker over the head with a bottle of vodka has been jailed.
Nathan Price, who was "often off his head on spice", even wished staff "merry Christmas" as he stole bottles of booze from a shop in a four-week spree of thefts in December 2022 and January this year.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that the 33-year-old targeted Co-op stores in Telford 12 times, including the St George's shop on nine occasions and the Oakengates store a further three. He also stole items from Mac Stores in St George's.
His haul included more than £650 worth of goods, including cigarettes, alcohol, meat, laundry tablets and other household goods.
During one incident on January 10 at Co-op St George's, he told a cashier to hand over cigarettes, saying: "Darling, no-one's going to get hurt." The worker said in a victim impact statement that when she closes her eyes she sees Price's face, and believed her life was at risk.
