Banned thief loses supermarket job

A shoplifter banned from every Sainsbury's supermarket in the country succeeded in finding employment - working in a Sainsbury's supermarket.

Vishal Patel, 24, from Ipswich, was given an eight-week jail sentence suspended for 12 months in May last year after he admitted stealing a bottle of Jack Daniel's from the chain's Warren Heath branch.

He had been arrested on suspicion of targeting the store five times in three weeks.

After his conviction he received a letter from Sainsbury's prohibiting him going to any of its stores or petrol stations nationwide.

But this week managers were left red-faced after it emerged he had been employed at the same store where he committed the offence.

A spokesman for the supermarket said Mr Patel had failed to inform them of his conviction.

He said: "Mr Patel was convicted of crimes and banned from all our stores a year ago. He neglected to mention his banning or convictions on his application form or at the subsequent interview, and as soon as this came to our attention we rescinded his job offer."

It is understood the conviction came to light at a training day.

Mr Patel told the Ipswich Star: "I am really disappointed. I had a full-time job for night work stacking shelves but the contract was terminated. I thought if I had told them on the application form or at the interview they would automatically terminate the contract straight away.

"All I wanted was a chance. I won't ever steal again."