Southampton shop worker tells how he chased after 'Spider-Man' thief

Danny Wilkinson chased James Cain when the 31-year-old thief swiped a laptop and six Spider-Man costumes at Rockbottom Toy Store in the Marlands Shopping Centre.

Cain ran down an escalator shoving people out of the way in a bid to escape as Danny followed him. He fled via Asda with the laptop - and six children's Spider-Man costumes worth £240 - but was briefly stopped by security before making his getaway on a bike.

Now Cain is behind bars after a judge jailed him for two years and nine months for a string of offences.

Reacting to Cain being jailed, Danny said: "It's nice to hear because this happens regularly, it's not something that happens on and off - it happens all the time.

"Nine times out of ten you can call the police, you can put a report in and nothing will happen.

"He has done other offences which have stacked up against him but it's nice to see someone be punished for it, which will hopefully put people off in the future - but we can't be sure."

Danny Wilkinson at Rockbottom Toy Store (Image: Jose Ramos)

Cain, of no fixed address, admitted theft over the June 20 toy shop incident.

He also admitted theft relating to a spree on September 13 last year when he stole a make-up bag worth £76 from Boots in Westquay, and assaulted two security guards who asked him to leave the shopping centre.

Both men suffered minor injuries and the make-up bag was recovered.

That same day, he assaulted two security staff, two men in their 30s, at the Co-op Welcome store on Harbour Parade. Neither were badly injured.

On February 2 this year Cain stole two irons from John Lewis in Westquay worth £680 and a few months later on Thursday, July 13, he stole £50 of alcohol from Asda on Portland Terrace.

Aside from shoplifting-related crimes in the city centre, Cain was also jailed for a terrifying home burglary on June 10.

He broke into a woman's house on Shakespeare Avenue while she was in, stealing her personal belongings including a handbag, wallet, jewellery, headphones, cosmetics and her bank card.

The woman, in her 20s, was left shaken but was not injured.

Cain admitted all offences and breaching a suspended sentence.

James Cain has been jailed for two years and nine months (Image: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary)

Shop worker Danny praised the police for bringing in a new anti-shoplifting city centre team.

He said: "The best thing that we can do is have a police presence in the city centre.

"A lot of people are blatant, and they don't try to hide the fact they're stealing - they know there's not a lot we can do to stop them.

"But if you we have got a police officer on the beat that will give us a lot more confidence because they know they can do something about it. Prevention is definitely the key."

Detective Constable Jess Swift, who led the investigation, said: "Cain's offending has been persistent and has had a real impact on shop staff, security staff and the victim whose home he broke into."