A SUSPECTED sweet-toothed thief has been banned from all shops which sell chocolate.

Police took the unique step after arresting the teenager on suspicion of stealing chocolate from three separate shops in Southend in a week.

It is alleged he has a particular hankering for Galaxy...and he stands accused of stealing seven bars from the 99p shop.

Galaxy was also the treat of choice during a theft at Wilkinsons, in Victoria Plaza.

The third offence allegedly happened at the Co-op, in Southchurch Road.

The chocolate shop ban was imposed as part of his bail conditions.

Sgt Nick Eliot, of Southend police, said: “It’s a bit different, but sometimes you’ve got to be a bit imaginative.”

The conditions are decided by the custody sergeant to try to prevent the suspect from re-offending in the run up to their court appearance.

Sgt Eliot said: “With bail conditions, there are some fairly standard things – curfew, to live and sleep at certain addresses, or you can’t go to certain roads.

“We have a fairly stringent set of criteria and we have to justify each and every bail condition and we have to take in consideration human rights.

“You can’t make it up as you go along.”

After the suspect’s first court appearance, it is down to the magistrates to decide whether to continue with the conditions.

Sgt Eliot added: “Whether they’d maintain something like that at court I’d probably say not. They’d probably open it out and say you’re not allowed in shops at certain times, or not allow them in the High Street, or maybe there will be no bail conditions at all.

“The courts have different criteria to us as well, which makes things a bit difficult at times.”

The teenager has been bailed and is due to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court later this month.