A prolific shoplifter has been banned from major retailers across England and Wales after stealing a bag packed full of meat from an M&S store in Westcliff.
Stephan Jaworski, 44, of Francis Walk, Rayleigh, walked out of the M&S Simply Food store at a BP fuel station on London Road, Westcliff, on 3 February 2026.
He was immediately stopped and arrested by officers from Southend’s local policing team, who found he was carrying a bag filled with meat taken from the M&S shop.
Jaworski was arrested on the spot and has now been banned from entering all M&S stores and BP service stations nationwide for five years.
Southend Magistrates’ Court heard on 4 February that Jaworski had also stolen from the M&S shop at the BP station in West Street, Westcliff, the day before his arrest, as well as on New Year’s Eve.
He admitted three counts of shop theft involving goods worth £285.40 in total from the two stores. He also admitted breaching a previous criminal behaviour order on three separate occasions.
The court issued a new five-year criminal behaviour order, banning him from:
- Entering any Marks & Spencer store in England and Wales, including those attached to BP service stations
- Entering any BP service station, forecourt or attached shop in England and Wales
- Entering the Sainsbury’s Local store in Rochford
- Entering the Co-op Food store in Hockley
Jaworski was also handed a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
The case comes as shoplifting continues to rise across the UK, with retailers reporting significant losses and growing concerns over staff safety. Supermarkets and convenience stores have been particularly affected, with organised and repeat offenders often targeting high-value items such as meat and alcohol.
In response, police forces nationwide have been stepping up enforcement, using measures such as criminal behaviour orders, targeted patrols and faster arrests to disrupt repeat offending and protect local businesses.
How Essex Police are targeting shoplifting
Shoplifting has become a priority area for Essex Police as part of a wider crackdown on repeat and organised retail crime. Officers increasingly focus on known offenders, using intelligence-led patrols, rapid response arrests and criminal behaviour orders to disrupt patterns of repeat theft.
These orders allow police to quickly arrest individuals who return to banned locations, reducing the time and cost involved in repeated investigations. Essex Police have said this approach is designed to protect retail staff, deter prolific offenders and reduce the wider impact of theft on local communities.
How M&S deals with shoplifting and retail crime
Marks & Spencer ‘Simply Food’ stores inside BP service stations operate under a long-standing partnership between the two brands. These M&S Simply Food outlets are typically located at busy roadside sites, catering to commuters and travellers looking for premium food on the go.
While popular with customers, these locations can also be vulnerable to shoplifting due to their accessibility, extended opening hours and high-value stock such as fresh meat, alcohol and ready meals.
M&S has taken a firm stance on retail crime in recent years, particularly in response to a rise in repeat offending across the UK. The retailer routinely works with police to pursue criminal behaviour orders against prolific offenders and uses CCTV, staff training and intelligence-sharing to identify repeat theft patterns.
M&S has also supported stronger penalties for repeat shoplifting, arguing that persistent theft drives up prices, impacts staff wellbeing and threatens the long-term viability of local stores. The use of nationwide bans, such as in this case, reflects a wider strategy aimed at deterring repeat offenders rather than dealing with incidents in isolation.
These measures form part of a broader national effort by retailers and police forces to curb shoplifting, particularly where the same individuals repeatedly target multiple stores and locations.