A youth court is considering whether to refer a 17-year-old boy to crown court after he admitted stealing almost £140,000 worth of goods from high street retailers across the capital over a period of nearly two years.
Sitting at Highbury Corner Youth Court, magistrates heard the teenager had pleaded guilty to 19 theft offences — 15 against Boots and four against Holland & Barrett. He had originally faced 56 charges related to Boots alone, and the remaining counts will be taken into consideration at sentencing.
Prosecution barrister Edward Kalber argued the gravity of the offending warranted an upward referral. “The amount of money taken is significant and he is targeting businesses,” he told the court, adding that the impact on those businesses had been considerable. Kalber described the circumstances as “unique”, noting that had the defendant been an adult, he would have sought an immediate transfer to crown court.
The thefts centred on cosmetics taken from Boots branches across Westminster, Lambeth, Camden, and Kensington and Chelsea, with further offences at Holland & Barrett stores in Hammersmith and Fulham and Camden. The Boots offending spanned from April 2024 to December 2025, with goods totalling £137,342 taken over that period. Thefts from Holland & Barrett, valued at just over £2,415, took place between October 2025 and January this year.
When magistrates asked the boy why the offending had continued for so long, he told the court he had at times been distracted and led by others, though he said he no longer wished to behave that way. His mother, who attended the hearing, told the bench her son was easily influenced and that the family had been unaware of what had been happening. She said her father — the boy’s grandfather — had since stepped in and was trying to guide him toward a different path.
The court heard the teenager had been shaken by a warning from his grandfather that continued offending could result in a custodial sentence. Chair of the bench Jennifer Shewry told him directly that cases of this scale were uncommon in a youth court and cautioned him that any breach of his bail conditions would make his situation significantly worse.
The boy was released on conditional bail, with a requirement that he does not enter any Boots or Holland & Barrett premises in England or Wales unless accompanied by a family member.
Sentencing has been adjourned until 7 May, with magistrates indicating that further reports may be required before a final decision is reached on disposal.
