A shoplifter has been jailed after he was wrestled to the ground and sat on by a hero passerby in the middle of a high street store.
David Baird, who has links with Macclesfield, was locked up for a string of offences in which he stole hundreds of pounds worth of valuables from stores in Manchester and Derbyshire.
But when Baird attempted to steal items from Boots in Droylsden he was foiled by a courageous member of the public.
The 16-stone have-a-go-hero, named only as Kenny, tackled the prolific shoplifter to the floor - and then sat on him until police arrived.
Baird, 36, was caught in the act stealing from the Boots, on Queens Walk, on Saturday, March 26.
Former kickboxer Kenny, 46, grabbed Baird and threw him to the ground and sat on him until police arrived to arrest him.
Baird, who has links to Macclesfield , committed most of the thefts in Buxton while he was in a relationship with a person who lived in the area.
Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court heard that Baird struck on February 4, February 15, February 23, March 8, March 13 and March 26.
Most of the crimes were discovered through CCTV footage afterwards.
The court heard that the thefts were committed while Baird was serving a suspended sentence for other thefts.
David Philpott, defending Baird, said the dad has a ‘good support network’ and his daughter had travelled from Staffordshire to support him at court.
Mr Philpott said drugs had ‘taken a grip’ of Baird again at the time of the offences. It was said that Baird, of Williams Street, Gorton , has committed more than 40 theft offences since 1998.
The defendant pleaded guilty to five charges of theft and one of attempted theft.
He was jailed by a district judge for 26 weeks on Tuesday, April 5, and was ordered to pay an £80 surcharge.
The judge said: “You are a prolific offender. You have continued to offend while subject to a suspended sentence order and you have gone on a spree of offences in February and March this year.”
