Homeless man jailed for stealing children's pacifiers in Harlow

In what could be one of the most peculiar thefts British officers have had to deal with, a man was arrested after making "disturbing comments" to mothers before stealing pacifiers from their children. In some instances, he even reached into a pram to snatch the pacifier directly from a child's mouth.

Homeless 23-year-old Josh Guilder stole pacifiers from five children in Harlow, Essex County. These brazen thefts took place between February 10 and August 7 of the previous year.

During this time, Guilder was living in a tent, which is where he brought his unusual stash. In court, his lawyer stated that he "was never weaned off pacifiers", stating that using a dummy helped him to calm down.

Guilder was arrested on August 15 of the previous year. During the arrest, he threatened an officer, saying: "If my things get destroyed, I swear I'll kill you".

On Friday, February 2, the man was sentenced to 14 months in prison at the Crown Court in Chelmsford for stealing pacifiers.

"I know these incidents have caused worry in our community, and I am glad we were able to identify the person responsible and hold them accountable," said Inspector Paul Austin of the Essex County Police.

Austin also highlighted the force's efforts to "achieve such a result", and thanked the local community for their support during the investigation.