Prolific Shoplifter Jailed After Assaulting PCSO and Breaching Court Orders in Crawley

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed after admitting a string of offences in Crawley, including breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and assaulting a PCSO. Ben Gladman, 37, of no fixed address, was previously banned from entering Crawley town centre and major retailers, including TK Maxx, Tesco, and Co-op, under a CBO following convictions in […]

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed after admitting a string of offences in Crawley, including breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and assaulting a PCSO.

Ben Gladman, 37, of no fixed address, was previously banned from entering Crawley town centre and major retailers, including TK Maxx, Tesco, and Co-op, under a CBO following convictions in November 2025.

Despite the order, Gladman was spotted in Crawley town centre on 13 January by a PCSO. When approached, he ran, later assaulting the officer before police arrested him.

At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 14 January, Gladman admitted two breaches of the CBO, assaulting an emergency worker, and five shop thefts that took place between July 2025 and 5 January 2026.

The offences included:

• 18 July: £55 worth of drinks stolen from Greggs
• 31 July: Cheese strings, energy drinks, and Dairylea dunkers worth £9 stolen from Co-op in Langley Green
• 15 August: Two thefts at the same Co-op, taking energy drinks, coffee jars, soft drinks, and laundry products worth £101
• 5 January: Chocolates and sweets worth £85 stolen from Tesco Express in Ifield

Gladman, who already had 31 previous convictions for over 100 offences, was sentenced to six months in prison.

Inspector Andrew Bryant of Sussex Police said:

“Gladman has been a prolific offender, and thanks to the dedication of the PCSO, he was caught in breach of court orders imposed after his previous convictions. The evidence showed he had continued to commit shop theft offences. We understand the impact this has on communities and for staff working in shops. We are pleased that Gladman is now serving a significant custodial sentence.”