BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Erie County District Attorney's Office said a man was sentenced Wednesday for being a serial shoplifter and stealing from various stores across Western New York.
According to the news release, 38-year-old Justin K. White of Buffalo was sentenced to 3 ½ to 7 years in prison.
During a five month span, White stole merchandise from four stores on six separate occasions. Four of the crimes occurred at stores where he was previously served a “no trespass” notice during a previous shoplifting incident, which banned him from entering any of the store’s locations. According to the DA's office, White stole various items, including electronic devices, kitchen tools, clothing, food, and drinks with a total estimated value of $5,000.
On November 26, 2022, Investigators say White knowingly went into a store on Niagara Falls Boulevard in the Town of Amherst with the intent to commit a crime. He was also previously banned from entering the store after a prior incident in March 2020. He left the store without paying for the merchandise valued at $1,536.99. Two days later, on November 28, 2022, White entered the same store on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst and left the store without paying for the merchandise valued at $1,099. A loss prevention employee confronted White in the parking lot but left the scene in a vehicle.
Then on January 4, 2023, White was arrested for those shoplifting incidents. He was arraigned in Amherst Town Court on two counts of Burglary in the Third Degree and two counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree.
He was released on January 21, 2023.
On January 30, 2023, officials say White was arrested again after he left a store on Amelia Drive in the Town of Orchard Park without paying for merchandise valued at $1,006.
White was also previously banned from all retail locations following a prior shoplifting incident in October 2022. He was arraigned in Orchard Park Town Court on one count of Burglary in the Third Degree and one count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree.
Next, while White was accused of committing a felony for causing harm against property he was released on another pending felony case involving the same type of charge, White was held on bail that was set at $2,500 cash, $10,000 bond, and $25,000 partially secured surety bond.
When he was arrested again, White was under investigation for stealing merchandise, valued at approximately $341, from the same retailer on January 23, 2023.
He was arraigned in Orchard Park Town Court on one count of Burglary in the Third Degree and one count of Petit Larceny. In this case, bail was also set at $1,000 cash, $1,500 bond, or $10,000 partially secured surety bond.
White posted bail and was released from the Erie County Holding Center on March 19, 2023, and while in police custody, he was indicted on charges related to two additional retail theft cases, the DA's office said.
Then on March 20, 2023, White again entered a different store on Amelia Drive in Orchard Park with plans to commit a crime and had been previously served a trespass notice in March 2020. White left that store without paying for merchandise valued at $1,359.
On January 29, 2023, White left a home improvement store on Transit Road in the Town of Amherst with five windows, valued at $1,250, without paying for them.
The DA's office said White pleaded guilty to six counts of Burglary in the Third Degree, one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class “D” felonies), and three counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felonies), the highest sustainable charges, on December 18, 2023.
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