Notorious Shoplifter ‘Red Bull Guy’ Jailed
Persistently targeted Greggs including the Ealing Broadway branch
His activities earned a nationwide ban from Greggs including the one in Ealing. Picture: Met Police
A prolific shoplifter known locally as the “Red Bull Guy” has been jailed for nine months after repeatedly raiding Greggs branches across Ealing Broadway, West Ealing and Shepherd’s Bush. The offender — also known by the nicknames “Hunch” and “Whizzy” — was arrested in Shepherd’s Bush after yet another incident in which he cleared shelves of energy drinks and other goods.
Police say the man had become well-known to staff and neighbourhood officers for his aggressive behaviour and persistent targeting of the bakery chain. Alongside the custodial sentence, he has been issued with a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning him from entering any Greggs store in the UK.
The case comes amid intensified efforts by local neighbourhood teams to tackle shoplifting across Ealing, where retailers have reported rising levels of theft, intimidation and repeat offending.
Safer Neighbourhood Teams in Ealing Broadway, West Ealing and Acton have been carrying out regular high-visibility and plain-clothes patrols in hotspot areas and targeted operations have focused on prolific offenders known to repeatedly target the same stores. Rapid-response arrests, often working directly with shop staff and security teams have taken place and the use of Community Protection Notices and Criminal Behaviour Orders to restrict the movements of persistent offenders has been increased.
Officers say a small number of individuals are responsible for a disproportionate amount of retail crime in the area. Recent operations have led to multiple arrests, including individuals wanted for failing to appear in court, breaching CPNs, and carrying out coordinated thefts from supermarkets and pharmacies.
The arrest of the “Red Bull Guy” is being viewed by officers as a significant disruption to one of the area’s most persistent offenders.
Shoplifting has become a major concern for businesses in Ealing, with some reporting daily incidents and increased aggression towards staff. Several shops have introduced additional security measures, including body-worn cameras, controlled entry systems and reinforced staff training.
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