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| Father and son stole champagne from Fortnum & Mason, court hears | Father and son stole champagne from Fortnum & Mason, court hears |
| (2 months later) | |
| A father and son carried out a theft from the department store Fortnum & Mason by simply walking out with eight bottles of champagne, a court has been told. | A father and son carried out a theft from the department store Fortnum & Mason by simply walking out with eight bottles of champagne, a court has been told. |
| The prosecutor, James Cartwright, told the jury at Southwark crown court that it was a “thought out and planned” theft from the store in Piccadilly in London’s West End. | The prosecutor, James Cartwright, told the jury at Southwark crown court that it was a “thought out and planned” theft from the store in Piccadilly in London’s West End. |
| Douglas Vallender, 53, and his son Jack, 18, both of St Ives, Cornwall, deny theft from Fortnum & Mason on 1 May 2017. The court heard the value of the bottles of champagne was £348. | Douglas Vallender, 53, and his son Jack, 18, both of St Ives, Cornwall, deny theft from Fortnum & Mason on 1 May 2017. The court heard the value of the bottles of champagne was £348. |
| Cartwright said: “These two defendants went downstairs. They had a bag, which they filled with eight bottles of champagne. They did an about turn, went up the stairs and from the stairs they walked a distance and walked out the front door.” | Cartwright said: “These two defendants went downstairs. They had a bag, which they filled with eight bottles of champagne. They did an about turn, went up the stairs and from the stairs they walked a distance and walked out the front door.” |
| He added: “They thought that ‘if we are brazen and do it in the open, no one is going to notice. They will see us with a bag and think we have bought it.’ | He added: “They thought that ‘if we are brazen and do it in the open, no one is going to notice. They will see us with a bag and think we have bought it.’ |
| “It depended on nobody seeing them. Unfortunately Fortnum & Mason have a comprehensive security camera in the store.” | “It depended on nobody seeing them. Unfortunately Fortnum & Mason have a comprehensive security camera in the store.” |
| The Vallenders, who arrived at the store at about 12.15pm, were spotted by security staff with a Fortnum & Mason-branded bag that was filled with champagne, the court heard. | The Vallenders, who arrived at the store at about 12.15pm, were spotted by security staff with a Fortnum & Mason-branded bag that was filled with champagne, the court heard. |
| They were stopped a short distance down the road as they walked towards Piccadilly Circus and taken back while police were called. | They were stopped a short distance down the road as they walked towards Piccadilly Circus and taken back while police were called. |
| The Vallenders later told police they had forgotten to pay for items, but Cartwright told the court: “You do not forget eight bottles of champagne in a heavy bag and lug it out of a store.” | The Vallenders later told police they had forgotten to pay for items, but Cartwright told the court: “You do not forget eight bottles of champagne in a heavy bag and lug it out of a store.” |
| A security guard, Deepak Singh, told the court: “In my opinion I thought they were walking quickly. I thought they were suspicious and that’s why I decided to follow them.” | A security guard, Deepak Singh, told the court: “In my opinion I thought they were walking quickly. I thought they were suspicious and that’s why I decided to follow them.” |
| Another security officer, Mohamad Teemul, who stopped the Vallenders outside the store, said the champagne was worth about £300. | Another security officer, Mohamad Teemul, who stopped the Vallenders outside the store, said the champagne was worth about £300. |
| Daniel Kersh, defending Jack Vallender, asked him if the defendants had suggested that leaving the store without paying had been a mistake. | Daniel Kersh, defending Jack Vallender, asked him if the defendants had suggested that leaving the store without paying had been a mistake. |
| Teemul, who could not recall the entire conversation, replied it was “part of” their response and that “they did say that”. | Teemul, who could not recall the entire conversation, replied it was “part of” their response and that “they did say that”. |
| In their police interviews, the Vallenders said they were in a rush and had intended to pay using the father’s debit card. They said they only realised they had not paid after they left the store. | In their police interviews, the Vallenders said they were in a rush and had intended to pay using the father’s debit card. They said they only realised they had not paid after they left the store. |
| The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday at 10am. | The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday at 10am. |
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