East London thief jailed for £20,000 spree

A man responsible for a £20,000 theft spree across east London has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison. Lee Lendl, also known as Lee Dukumba, pleaded guilty to dozens of thefts and burglaries that affected businesses including Boots, pubs, and funeral directors.

Daily thefts from Boots

Lendl, 39, from Chadwell Heath, repeatedly targeted Boots stores in areas such as Wanstead, South Woodford, and Leytonstone, stealing high-value cosmetics, fragrances, and toiletries. He was described as stealing from these stores "almost daily". Recorder Jonathan Laidlaw KC, sitting at Snaresbrook Crown Court, noted that Lendl appeared to be stealing to order, suggesting he had a ready market for the stolen goods. The judge described Lendl's offending as "brazen and prolonged" and "pretty sophisticated", stating that he exploited staff's reluctance to confront him.

Burglaries and repeated offences

In addition to shoplifting, Lendl committed nine commercial burglaries. These incidents involved smashing windows or forcing doors late at night to steal cash, alcohol, and other items. He burgled the Leytonstone Tavern four times between October and January, each time taking alcohol. The court heard that Lendl sometimes returned to businesses he had previously targeted, leaving owners to pay for damages. Recorder Laidlaw highlighted Lendl's extensive criminal record, with 78 offences across 33 court appearances dating back to 2007, and noted his repeated return to crime after prison sentences.

The judge referred to Lendl as a "one-man crime wave", estimating he stole hundreds, if not thousands, of goods, sometimes exceeding £3,000 worth in a single day. Lendl's defence cited longstanding mental health, drug, and alcohol problems as contributing factors to his offending. A pre-sentence report indicated he had "little or no desire" to address his substance misuse. Recorder Laidlaw dismissed Lendl's hope of community rehabilitation as "utterly unrealistic", stating the community deserved a break from him.