Man jailed for DIY store thefts following Met Police investigation

A prolific shoplifter who targeted B&Q stores in London and across the south of England 11 times has been jailed following a Met Police investigation.

It is estimated £16,000 worth of items, mainly taps, were stolen from B&Q stores in Greenwich, Kent, Hampshire, Essex and Buckinghamshire over a 13-month period.

Daniel Cleveland, 33, (03.11.91) Lamerock Road, Bromley, pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft and three counts of attempted theft at Lewes Crown Court on Tuesday, 19 August. He was sentenced to three years in jail on Thursday, 25 September.

Chief Inspector Rav Pathania, the Met’s lead for tackling retail crime, said:

“The Met is prioritising neighbourhood policing, putting more officers in local teams to tackle issues that matter most to Londoners, including shoplifting.

“Officers worked with B&Q to review nine reports of theft and three reports of attempted theft carried out between February 2024 and March 2025.

“We work with businesses to target the most prolific offenders, as we know the fear they cause retail workers and the negative impact their offending has on communities.

“As a result, neighbourhood crime is down 15.5 per cent this year and we have solved 92 per cent more shoplifting so far this year.”

Cleveland worked with another man to steal the goods. In one instance, at B&Q Larkfield in Kent, security cameras caught Cleveland and his accomplice throwing the stolen items over a fence from inside the garden centre of the store. The men then collected the goods from the other side and bundled them into a getaway vehicle with false plates.

Officers arrested Cleveland at his home on Wednesday, 30 April.

Simon Moss, B&Q Security and Commercial Stockloss Manager, said:

“This case highlights the power of collaboration and intelligence sharing between retailers and the police.

“It sends a clear message to those who target B&Q and other retailers that we will take every appropriate action to identify offenders and fully support law enforcement in bringing them to justice.

“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. B&Q is firmly committed to protecting and supporting our colleagues from the impacts of shoplifting, and to the safety and security of our customers.”

Enquiries are ongoing to locate the other man.

The location of the stolen goods remains unknown. The thefts and attempted thefts took place at the following stores:

• 26 February 2024 – attempted theft from B&Q Larkfield in Kent

• 27 August 2024 – theft from B&Q Greenwich in south-east London

• 29 August 2024 – theft from B&Q Ashford in Kent

• 1 September 2024 – theft from B&Q Farnborough in Hampshire

• 3 September 2024 – attempted theft from B&Q Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire

• 23 September 2024 – attempted theft from B&Q Ashford in Kent

• 23 September 2024 – theft from B&Q West Thurrock in Essex

• 23 October 2024 – theft from B&Q Farnborough in Hampshire

• 13 November 2024 – theft from B&Q Braintree in Essex

• 12 March 2025 – theft from B&Q Greenwich in south-east London

• 20 March 2025 – theft from B&Q Larkfield in Kent