Recidivist shoplifter Debra Jupp stole from Farmers stores in Hamilton, Auckland and Tauranga, and also targeted branches of Pak'nSave, Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse. Photo / NZME
Recidivist shoplifter Debra Jupp stole from Farmers stores in Hamilton, Auckland and Tauranga, and also targeted branches of Pak'nSave, Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse. Photo / NZME
A woman with an extensive history of stealing went on a five-month crime spree, spanning three regions and ripping off leading retailers.
Debra Christine Jupp’s actions have been lambasted by Judge Noel Cocurullo, who labelled her behaviour “pathetic”, but she has narrowly avoided prison after pleading for a “finalchance”.
“All that you’re doing here is ripping off retailers who have to add money to their bottom line for everybody else just because of your selfish, dishonest, thieving behaviour,” the judge said in the Hamilton District Court yesterday.
Jupp was already classified by police as a “high risk, nationwide recidivist retail crime offender” before her spree began on January 16.
She mainly targeted Farmers stores in Hamilton, Tauranga, and Auckland, along with Woolworths, Pak’nSave and Chemist Warehouse stores, for items including 12 bottles of perfume, lingerie, skincare and food.
The goods she took totalled $3594 but three stores – Farmers The Base, Pak’nSave Mill St and Chemist Warehouse Centreplace – caught her in the act and were able to retrieve their products, which totalled around $600.
Jupp, of Hamilton, has an extensive history of dishonest offending and was in court to be sentenced on 10 counts of shoplifting relating to this year’s crime spree.
‘Caught in the cycle of addiction’
Jupp’s counsel, Sarah Fraser, argued with the judge to keep her client out of jail.
She submitted that Jupp had been crime-free for the past six years and more recently had been receiving counselling through the community alcohol and drug team.
Debra Jupp mainly stole from Farmers stores and cast her thieving net around Hamilton, Auckland and Tauranga. Photo / NZME
But Judge Cocurullo remained unimpressed.
“Her behaviour is pathetic,” he said.
“She is 47, she has 90 previous convictions, 55 of which are for dishonesty.”
Fraser acknowledged her client’s history but said the offending boiled down to Jupp being “caught in the cycle of addiction”, which she was now in the middle of addressing.
“But she wouldn’t have if she hadn’t been hauled before the court by police,” the judge replied.
Asked about what was driving it, Fraser said Jupp began using meth again after a relationship break-up.
“It hasn’t been pleasant,” she said.
“So the result is to just go and hurt a lot of people by ripping them off?” the judge said.
“The fact of the matter is, Ms Jupp, you’re in a lot of trouble.
The police prosecutor noted most of the offending occurred over five months at the same retailer in three different cities.
“Which would indicate she is perhaps trying to avoid being recognised as a shoplifter, and there appears to be some sort of premeditation.”
“Absolutely,” the judge agreed.
Judge Cocurullo told Jupp that because she had been in this position so many times before, prison should follow.
“I truly mean no disrespect to you as a person, but your behaviour, it’s pathetic.
“You come along to court, as you probably did in 2018, when you were last before the court, with all sorts of excuses... but the short point is this, it was your choice to dive back into methamphetamine.”
