A serial thief has avoided jail after stealing £3,500 worth of clothes and booze from stores.
During his latest shoplifting spree, cunning Craig McLean first used a de-tagging device, magnet and foil to remove a tag from an expensive jacket in Flannels, in Newcastle city centre. However, staff became suspicious after he emerged from a changing room and he was found in possession the coat and theft aids, a court heard.
Six months later, the 43-year-old moved his criminal enterprise to York, where he targeted Flannels, Fenwick and Marks and Spencer, making off with £3,500 worth of designer goods and alcohol in a fortnight. But, despite changing his location, McLean was still finally recognised and was arrested once again.
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Now, McLean, of Marie Curie Drive, in Benwell, has been given one last chance after he pleaded guilty to four counts of shop theft and going equipped for theft at Newcastle Magistrates' Court. He was given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and must pay a total of £2,584 compensation.
Claire Armstrong, prosecuting, said McLean first targeted Flannels, in Newcastle, on December 23 last year. She added: "Officers attended the store in relation to an aggressive male, who had been detained on suspicion of theft. The defendant was in the security office.
"The officers were advised that the defendant had been in a cubicle in the changing rooms and a tag from a coat had been found in the changing rooms. When stopped, a coat was recovered, which had been de-tagged, and in the defendant's possession was a de-tagging device, a magnet and a roll of foil."
The court heard that, less than six months later on May 21 this year, McLean stole £284 worth of alcohol from Marks and Spencer. Then, on June 1, he helped himself to a handbag and jacket, worth £2,300, from Flannels, and, on June 3, he made-off with a Hugo Boss jacket and gilet, worth £668, from Fenwick. Finally, two days later, he stole £338 worth of perfume from Browns. All the shops were in York.
Adrian Ions, defending, said McLean, who has 165 offences on his record, had a number of issues and had recently been unwell from blood poisoning following an infected bite.
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