A man who has been described as Britain's most prolific shoplifter was jailed for one day yesterday after committing his 321st offence. David Archer, 54, from Rhyl, north Wales, has served the equivalent of two life sentences as a result of his addiction to petty crime. He has been unable to spend 14 out of the past 15 Christmases with his daughter because he has been behind bars.
Yesterday, Archer admitted in court to stealing two bottles of whisky from a store at Abergele. David Mainstone, prosecuting, said Archer had a "quite horrendous" list of previous offences and 155 court appearances.
Archer even went through a spell of stealing charity boxes, for which he was given an Asbo. In October, he had been jailed for 12 weeks for trying to steal a collection box, his 317th offence. Two years earlier he had been jailed only days after being released from prison after taking a Cancer Research Fund charity box from a Woolworths store in Rhyl.
In January, when Archer was jailed for 28 days for his 299th offence, David Davies, the court chairman, said: "Because of your appalling previous record, we are imposing a custodial sentence. It is a shame you are abusing the care that the agencies are trying to give you. Probation and other services are trying to do their best for you."
Archer also made the headlines in Christmas 1999: minutes after finishing a five-day sentence, he had stolen a £1.50 can of lager from a Llandudno off-licence, a court in the town heard. Then 44, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fortnight in jail, but served just half and – unusually – was out in time for Christmas.
Yesterday, Andrew Hutchinson, who was defending Archer, said: "What can I say about David Archer that many of my colleagues haven't said previously?"n Archer was let out yesterday as he had already spent three days in jail, including Christmas Day – but he must pay £85 in costs.
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