Chef Antony Worrall Thompson arrested for shoplifting

[Duncan]

The Sun is reporting that TV chef Antony Worrall Thompson has been arrested for shoplifting on 5 occasions at the Tesco store in Henley-on-Thames.

They quote their source as saying:

He was ordering blocks of cheese at the deli counter, taking bottles of wine, then putting some things through the scanner but walking out with the rest.

"They caught him on camera doing it more than once, but had to be 100 per cent sure it was not a genuine mistake before apprehending him. Because of his high profile, the security staff could not afford to get it wrong.

He's had money problems recently, so I do hope it's just stress and he can get over it.

[sunbeam]

Those self serve scanners are a pain though

Funny how many celebs, when stressed, resort to shoplifting. He may have money worries but I expect he still has more in the bank than most of us!

[Broken English]

I'm just dreading a new Gordon Ramsay series now, the bad jokes are going to be out of control.

Seriously though, I can't understand why anyone high profile would bother with it, it's not like the twenty quid he "saved" each time is going to hurt his bank balance, money worries or not. He's far better off than most people who manage to pay for their groceries.

[Jenni]

I believe that shoplifters often have psychological issues and it's not just a case of wanting stuff but not being able to afford it.

It's all a bit sad and as wrong as it was for him to do this, I can't help but feel sorry for him that his story gets splashed all over the papers.

On the other hand, good to know that Tescos and the like do actually have some kind of security system on the self-scan checkouts. The ones in the Sainsbury's by my old work place constantly flashed up with "Unexpected item in bagging area" to the point that staff soon knew to just ignore this warning and override it with their staff card. I wonder how many customers took advantage of this fact to nick stuff?

Edited January 9, 2012 by Jenni (log)

[Harters]

I see he has received a "police caution", avoiding a court case and, assuming he entered a guilty plea then, also avoiding a criminal record.

One has to wonder if a non-celebrity would have been treated so leniently by the boys in blue.

[sunbeam]

dunno about leniency, it's just too much hassle to prosecute I expect. After all, unlike our hooded friends he would have a decent lawyer. His last book I bought was 'Antony makes it easy', I guess the new one could be 'Antony takes it easy'

[Man]

Remember that kleptomania may be an excuse but also a serious pathology. (His statement indeed suggests he needs treatment.)

[Broken English]

Remember that kleptomania may be an excuse but also a serious pathology. (His statement indeed suggests he needs treatment.)

That' the way it works with celebrities.

They have 'disorders', regular people are just thieves.

It's a cop out in my book.

[Sidney]

I see that AWT is claiming that one of the reasons he was so stupid was he was abused as a child.I was spanked as a child and caned in school,in modern terminology I suppose I can claim I was abused SHould I use this as an excuse if I ever caught thieving.

[Shel_B]

I see that AWT is claiming that one of the reasons he was so stupid was he was abused as a child.I was spanked as a child and caned in school,in modern terminology I suppose I can claim I was abused SHould I use this as an excuse if I ever caught thieving.

I'm so tired of hearing that the negative, hurtful things people do is a resut of childhood problems. These are people who know right from wrong, so even if their mother was mean to them or their father smacked them around a bit, they still know that what they are doing is wrong. It's just a cop out and a plea for sympathy and leniency. Screw 'em - let them pay at least the same price the regular folks pay.

[Pam Brunning]

No Sidney you wouldn't get away with it unless you are a celeb. chef

[rotuts]

this is a 5 Billion Lbs. (sorry) problem in the UK. Honest people pay for this. No company looses money on this, they just adjust their prices accordingly.

in the USofA this has to be a proportionally bigger problem. Id really rather not know that figure. Think of the "Good" that extra charge could do to places like Food Banks etc.

[RDB]

I am not sure he has really got away with it. This has been all over the papers and on the main news. Getting a fine or whatever you get for shoplifting is nothing compared to the shame and loss of earnings that will come out of this (whatever shame or earnings existed before this).

I mean cheese and wine from Tesco, he could have at least hit somewhere decent and got some a better standard of swag?

Anyone know what the contents of the bag were? Please don't tell me it was Cathedral city and Jabobs Creek?

[rotuts]

No.

he should have been belted with a serious fine that would have hurt him tremendoudly.

that fine might have gone to food banks.

5 billion pounds?

you like paying that?

good for you.

[Man]

Nah, you cynical lot, it's just a regular disorder (think of bulimia or anorexia), recognised by the main professional bodies such as the American Psychiatric Association. I trust the police in this country, like in other normal countries, to do by and large what it has to do in terms of charges. Believe me, I come from a country whose very form of government is kleptocracy: I'm an expert.

[Broken English]

Nah, you cynical lot, it's just a regular disorder (think of bulimia or anorexia), recognised by the main professional bodies such as the American Psychiatric Association. I trust the police in this country, like in other normal countries, to do by and large what it has to do in terms of charges. Believe me, I come from a country whose very form of government is kleptocracy: I'm an expert.

It may well be a disorder, whether or not he has it is another matter.

[Sidney]

Waitrose in Henley are probably very upset that he did not go into their store to steal they would doubtless have loved the publicity.

[Harters]

Letter in today's Guardian suggests Wozza will "have to tread more Caerphilly in future".