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Dad and daughter sentenced over shoplifting sprees

Perth Sheriff Court.
Perth Sheriff Court.

The 76-year-old leader of a professional shoplifting gang claimed he led family members on the thieving expeditions because it gave him a thrill.

George Keen armed himself with pliers while his daughter stuffed a heavy duty magnet in her bra so they could remove security tags while robbing a string of stores.

Keen was banned from driving for six months on Wednesday after a sheriff heard how he used his car to drive his 76-year-old wife and their daughter on the shoplifting escapades.

He was also fined £1,200, while his daughter Lesley Whyte, 50, was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and pay compensation.

Keen, who admitted having a £1,300 a month pension and £10,000 in the bank, argued he should not be banned because he needed to drive to pursue his market gardening hobby.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode told Perth Sheriff Court: “He was found in possession of a pair of pliers and there was a heavy duty magnet found within her bra. They were for taking tags off.”

The duo, who were with Mrs Keen, were detained in Debenhams and a survey of CCTV footage discovered they had been robbing Perth shops for months.

Keen and Whyte admitted being responsible for seven shoplifting offences over several months, while the Crown dropped the same charges against Mary Keen.

He and Whyte admitted seven charges each between October last year and March.

Solicitor Billy Boyle, defending, said: “This is out of kilter from what you would normally expect of a 76-year-old man. The offence was a bit more than just casual shoplifting.

“His position is that, having done it once, he felt the thrill of it to be exciting.”

Keen and Whyte started their shoplifting spree by stealing perfume from Debenhams on Perth High Street on October 25 2014.

They returned to the store on March 14 and carried out an identical crime before returning to Perth a week later and targeting five other stores in a day.

Keen, from Larchfield Gardens, and Whyte, of St Leonard Terrace, both Dundee, stole a pair of jeans and a top from River Island in the St John’s Shopping Centre.

They stole groceries from Poundland and a number of items from Claire’s Accessories within the same shopping centre.

They also stole a pair of tights and a pair of shoes from Primark on the High Street, before taking a £459 kimono from Loretta’s Collections on Murray Street.

The duo hurled foul-mouthed abuse at members of the press and tried to hide their faces as they left court.