The 'master of disguise' shoplifter rumbled by one item he always had with him

A habitual shoplifter who used disguises to target stores in south Worcestershire, Shropshire and the West Midlands has been sentenced to 42 weeks in prison and given a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). Craig Sawyer, 51, of no fixed address, is now banned from entering Worcestershire county and all Boots stores nationwide under the terms of his CBO, following his court appearance at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on Monday, January 6.

Sawyer was arrested at a Co-op in Malvern on Saturday 4 January and was found guilty of a total of 16 counts of theft from store – 12 of which were Boots stores including five in Evesham and five in Malvern. He was also convicted of thefts from a Boots in Walsall and one in Shrewsbury; as well as two thefts at a Co-op on Worcester Road, Malvern, one at B&Q in Malvern and one at Savers in Newport, Shropshire.

The thefts amounted to £11,475.55 and occurred between March and December in 2024. Boots has since confirmed to police that he was responsible for thefts totalling £28,000 from their stores nationally.

Witnesses said that Sawyer was known to dye his hair different colours and use glasses to alter his appearance, and upon his arrest was found with numerous different outer jackets. However, this master of disguise always carried his favourite brown shoulder bag with him, earning him the nickname 'Satchel Man' in many of the stores he targeted.

At court on Monday (January 6), he was further sentenced to 22 weeks in prison to run consecutively as a suspended term was activated relating to two counts of theft from shops in Uttoxeter totalling £800.35 and going equipped for theft from store in Uttoxeter, all on 10 October 2024.

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