A woman who was seen “behaving in a strange manner” before stealing almost £600 worth of gift items from a garden centre has been bound over for six months and ordered to pay for the items 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 she then returned to the shop five days later and stole another £284 worth of goods.
“No attempt was made to pay for any of the items,” he 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 a previous conviction for 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 added that Lloyd 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.