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A shoplifter walked in circles inside a city store before trying to leave with clothing and other items worth £1,160, York magistrates heard.
Staff at the Marks and Spencer store in the Vangarde shopping centre, north York, spotted Laura-May Croft’s behaviour on CCTV cameras, said Kathryn Walters, prosecuting.
They watched as she walked round and round the store, putting items in a trolley until it was full and she wheeled it towards the entrance.
Then they stopped her and called police.
Croft, of Johnson Street, Selby, pleaded guilty to shop theft. She had no previous convictions.
Magistrates gave her a 12-month community order with 15 days’ rehabilitative activities, fined her £40 and ordered her to pay a £114 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.
For Croft, defence solicitor Rebecca Hargreaves said: “She has expressed genuine remorse and regret, and she does understand the seriousness of her actions.
“She has lost her good character.”
The defence solicitor gave no reasons why Croft had committed the offence, saying she had specific personal circumstances and mental health issues.
She referred magistrates to a pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service which she said described what she meant.
Magistrates read the report and two letters about Croft before passing sentence.
Ms Walters said Croft, 38, walked into the Marks and Spencer store late in the morning of May 5 and collected a trolley.
As well as clothes she put shoes and accessories in the trolley.
“She has walked round in circles within the store then was seen to leave with the trolley full of items,” said Ms Walters.
Security staff stopped her and gave Croft the chance to pay for the items in the trolley. But when she offered cards for payment, they did not work and staff called the police.
In total, the items in the trolley were worth £1,160.40, said Ms Walters.
Ms Hargreaves said Croft had admitted what she had done when police interviewed her after her arrest.