Thief who tried to flee Morrisons store detectives by climbing into the roof cavity fell through the ceiling onto startled shoppers
A HOPELESS shoplifter was collared when he crashed through the supermarket ceiling and landed on top of startled shoppers after trying to flee security.
Ryan Payne, 24, had been marched off to an upstairs office by store detectives but when their back was turned he climbed above the false ceiling of the shop.
The roof of the Morrison's store in Bideford, Devon, gave way under his weight and he crashed through it in the entrance hall of the shop.
It was Payne’s second bizarre escape attempt in four days after he tried to keep Tesco staff at bay by emptying a fire extinguisher at them and threatening them with a cheese knife.
Payne went on a crime spree after splitting up with his girlfriend and moving into a tent where he lived rough around North Devon.
He intercepted an Argos delivery to get himself bedding and stole from shops in Barnstaple and Bideford to get money to buy drugs.
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Payne, 24, of Arena Park, Exeter, admitted five thefts, three counts of criminal damage, battery and affray and was jailed for a year and six weeks at Exeter Crown Court.
Recorder Simon Levene told him: "The offences at Tesco were the most serious because of the affray. It must have been very frightening for your victims to have been threatened with a knife.
"I have to bear in mind the offences at Morrisons happened when you already on bail for very similar behaviour just three days before."
Tristan Harwood, prosecuting, said Payne shoplifted DVDs and a pen from W H Smith in Barnstaple in April and went on to steal £119.90 worth of bedding by intercepting an Argos delivery in May.
He was seen shoplifting in Tesco at Barnstaple on June 5th and let off a fire extinguisher at staff as they tried to detain him.
He was locked in an office but escaped when staff opened the door to give him water and he then went to a canteen area where he picked up a cheese knife and used it to threaten anyone who came near him.
He also told security men he had a needle in his pocket, was HIV positive, and would stab them if they came near.
He broke a door as he tried to escape and cut his hand in the attempt.
As a result police bailed him immediately in the hope he would seek medical treatment.
Payne did not go to a doctor and three days later was caught stealing again at Morrisons in Bideford, where staff locked him in an office while the waited for police.
Mr Harwood said: "He climbed inside the false ceiling having removed the tiles and crawled through the cavity until he fell through the fragile tiles above the customer entrance, breaking the tiles and pulling the ceiling apart.
"The damage was estimated at more than £1,000 because he also brought down wiring into the entrance way."
Payne went on to smear a security guard's face with his blood, telling him he was at risk of catching hepatitis.
Barry White, for the defence, said Payne has long standing problems with drugs which he has started addressing for the first time while in jail in the three months since his arrest.
He said: "This offending happened when he had split up with his partner and as a result had no address and was not receiving any benefits. He was living in a tent.
"He had a chaotic lifestyle and was stealing to buy heroin. He is and deeply ashamed of his behaviour."
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