A woman from Peterborough has been sentenced to 41 weeks in prison after admitting to a series of shoplifting offences that included the theft of hundreds of Cadbury’s Crème Eggs. Leah Harding, 37, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 27 March 2026, where she was also ordered to pay £882.26 in compensation for her actions.
The court heard that Harding, who had no fixed address, targeted several local businesses during a sustained crime spree. On 13 February 2026, she stole 64 boxes of Crème Eggs from the Barn Garden Centre on Gunthorpe Road. On that same day, she also stole spirits valued at £300 from Dobbies Garden Centre in Hampton.
Harding’s pattern of offending continued with the theft of alcohol and cheese on three separate occasions from the Co-op store in Eye. She was arrested on 18 March 2026 following these incidents.
The investigation was led by Cambridgeshire Constabulary through their specialist Spree Offender Team. This unit was established in July 2025 to focus on persistent offenders in Peterborough and Fenland who commit five or more crimes within a six-week period.
PC Rebecca Risebrow of the Spree Offender Team stated that Harding had stolen from retailers with no regard for the consequences of her actions. She noted that these were not isolated events, but a persistent pattern of behaviour that caused financial loss and disruption to local businesses in the community.
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