Crime duo 'Snook and Brooks' sentenced for thefts

Two former employees of The Range have been sentenced for their nine-month theft spree.

34-year old Liam Snook of Blackfriars Way received nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years, 150 hours of unpaid work, 15 rehabilitation activity days, £2866 compensation and £272 in associated court costs.

Sarah Brooks, also 34-years-old, of Coronation Road in Durrington, received a community order, 167 hours of unpaid work, £2866 compensation and £199 in associated court costs.

The two former employees of The Range were sentenced for stealing thousands of pounds worth of goods from the shop over a period of nine months. 

'Snook and Brooks' worked together at the Salisbury branch of The Range and were sentenced at Salisbury Magistrates' Court on April 7th.

A total of 74 thefts were carried out over a nine month period from May 2023 to January 2024, totalling an estimated loss of more than £8k.

The court heard that Snook would occasionally steal stock on his own but the majority of the thefts occurred when the pair were working together.

Snook worked as a sales manager while Brooks began her employment as a shop assistant in April 2023. The pair would lift-share on days they worked together. 

Upon her arrest, Brooks explained that during one drive, they had a conversation about how easy it would be to steal from the shop. Thereon, Brooks would steal every Monday and Thursday throughout her shift and just before Snook had closed the shop.

They'd both go back inside the shop once the other employees had left in order to steal.

A diligent new employee discovered the pair's criminality as Snook would let all the staff leave then re-enter the shop alone without reason, which breached the company's policy against locking up the store alone.

The same situation occurred if Brooks was working except they'd both re-enter the shop, or Brooks would wait for Snook outside.

The employment of 'Snook and Brooks was suspended on January 30th 2024, the day after they were caught in the act by The Range's area loss prevention manager.

Some of the company's losses were recovered through deductions in their final paychecks.

Snook was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years, in addition to 150 hours of unpaid work.

Brooks received a community order which requires her to complete 167 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

Both defendants must pay compensation of £2,866 each.

Local Crime Investigator Ange Dowsett said, "This was a calculated, high-value series of thefts during which Snook and Brooks abused their trusted positions as employees to steal thousands of pounds worth of goods.

"Their criminality was motivated, lengthy and without remorse and the CCTV footage shows a jubilant, planned mood when the pair were carrying out the theft.

"I would like to thank the reporting employee whose critical thinking and diligence led to the prosecution of these two offenders."