Prolific thief jailed as targeted approach sees fall in shoplifting

Officers on patrol in West Bridgford

A persistent offender has been locked up for a year as neighbourhood police initiatives continue to see shoplifting fall in West Bridgford.

Officers are using a combination of targeted patrols, the Shop Watch radio scheme with retail staff and Criminal Behaviour Orders for prolific offenders to tackle the issue.

These efforts have seen a 25 per cent reduction in shop theft across the Rushcliffe borough over the last three months, September to December 2025, compared to the same period last year. 

Well-known shoplifter Mark Diuk received a CBO in September 2023 which banned him from a number of areas.

He breached the order by twice entering a supermarket in Melton Road, West Bridgford, on 20 November 2025 in order to steal.

Diuk was swiftly identified by shop staff, arrested by the Rushcliffe North neighbourhood policing team and went on to plead guilty to two counts of shoplifting and two breaches of the CBO.

Shoplifter Mark Diuk has been jailed

At Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Christmas Eve the 38-year-old, of no fixed abode, was jailed for a total of 12 months.

Police Constable Matt Holden, of the neighbourhood team, said:

“Diuk is one of a small number of shoplifters responsible for the vast majority of these offences in West Bridgford.

“This is why we committed time and resources to securing the CBO against him and after breaching it he has now been locked up.

“I hope the sentence gives hard working shop staff some respite from his offending and they welcome our efforts.

“West Bridgford is a vibrant community with a host of independent retailers who do not deserve to be targeted by these persistent criminals.”

Inspector Tim Cuthbert, district commander for Rushcliffe, said:

“The team has achieved significant success in reducing shoplifting thanks to utilising methods which we know work.

“Changes to patrol plans mean we are using our time and resources smartly in order to have officers in the right places at the right times.

“Reducing shoplifting is also about using all the tools and technology we have at our disposal.

“Early communication via the Shop Watch radio scheme has been crucial in allowing us to arrest and charge persistent offenders.

“Shop Watch also involves information sharing between retailers, police and other partners, regular meetings and the sharing of information.

“We are pleased with the reduction in shoplifting offences but are in no way complacent and will continue to work with retailers to find new ways of tackling the issue and supporting local businesses.”