A SHOPLIFTER who stole £595 worth of gift items from a garden centre has been bound over for six months and ordered to pay for those that weren’t recovered.
The Magistrate’s Court heard that Charlene Claire Lloyd (35) had visited Ransoms Garden Centre in St Martin on 5 September.
St Martin Centenier Gordon Jones, prosecuting, said: “Staff saw a customer behaving in a strange manner.”
Later, they noticed that stock was missing. Lloyd had filled three bags with scented candles and other giftware, together worth £311.
Mr Jones said that five days later Lloyd returned to the shop and stole another £284 worth of goods.“No attempt was made to pay for any of the items,” Mr Jones said.
Lloyd was identified from the store’s CCTV footage. The items from the second theft were recovered but those from the first were not.
Lloyd had been guilty of shoplifting in 2002, but Advocate Stephen Wauchope, defending, pointed out that the offence had been dealt with at parish hall level and was 22 years ago.
He also said she was unable to carry out community service.
Passing sentence, Assistant Magistrate Adam Clarke told her: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime.”
He ordered her to pay back £311 for the items not recovered.
