EditorMAESTEG MEAT THIEF: Serial shoplifter jailed and banned from town’s stores after six raids in six weeks
A Maesteg woman has been jailed after admitting six thefts from two of the town’s shops — walking away with meat, alcohol and coffee during a brazen spree that spanned just six weeks.
Samantha Jones, 41, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 30, 2026, after pleading guilty to all six counts of theft.
The offences took place between February and March 2026, with Jones targeting two stores in the Maesteg area in a run of raids that left local businesses counting the cost.
Four of the thefts were carried out at Asda on Castle Street in Maesteg, where Jones made off with meat and spirits worth a combined total of around £300.
The remaining two were carried out at Filco Stores on Hermon Road in Caerau, where she stole coffee and meat valued at approximately £80.
In total, Jones stole goods worth more than £380 across the six incidents.
The case was investigated by South Wales Police‘s Maesteg neighbourhood policing team, who built the case that led to Jones’s guilty pleas and sentencing.
As well as the custodial sentence, Jones has been made subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order — commonly known as a CBO — lasting two years.
The order places strict restrictions on where she is permitted to go once released. Jones is banned from entering any retail premises on Talbot Street and Commercial Street in Maesteg, as well as Asda on Castle Street, B&M Bargains on Llynfi Road and Filco Stores on Hermon Road in Caerau.
The conditions are designed to prevent Jones from returning to the areas and premises where she offended, offering some reassurance to local businesses that were targeted during the spree.
Maesteg Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Danielle Burton welcomed the outcome, saying the case demonstrated what the team could achieve for local traders.
“This was a thorough and in-depth investigation run by our neighbourhood policing teams,” she said. “Businesses in our community deserve to be able to trade without worrying about theft.”
Sgt Burton added that the consequences for Jones would continue well beyond her release date.
“Not only will Jones now serve a short sentence, but she will also be under conditions from the CBO when she is released from jail,” she said.
Shoplifting has become a growing concern for retailers across the region. South Wales Police have repeatedly urged businesses to report theft offences rather than writing them off, insisting that neighbourhood policing teams can and do take action — as this case demonstrates.
The CBO conditions mean that Jones faces further legal consequences if she is found in any of the banned locations after her release.
It is not the first time Bridgend County courts have dealt with repeat offending of this kind. Across the wider area, neighbourhood teams have increasingly turned to CBOs as a tool to protect businesses after shorter sentences fail to deter persistent offenders.
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