A Norfolk woman stole dozens of soft toys from garden centres around the county.
Ruby Smith, 35, of Victoria Hill, Eye, admitted seven offences of shop theft at an earlier hearing.
She was sentenced at Norwich Magistrates' Court on Monday, 17th February 2025.
Theft is an offence under section 1 of the Theft Act 1968. Shop theft of items under the value of £200 is dealt with as a summary offence, with the maximum penalty of 26 weeks' custody and/or an unlimited fine. We have previously written an article on the legalities surrounding theft.
Magistrates heard that the thefts occurred between July and September 2024, with Smith stealing from three different Norfolk garden centres. She was accompanied by her young children on each occasion.
Smith, who has previous convictions for theft, first targeted the Bressingham Garden Centre, near Diss. She stole £1,600 of toys on 20th July, returning twice over the next fortnight to steal further toys valued at £1,679 and £512.
On 6th August Smith stole £194 worth of toys from the Wroxham Barns gift shop, at Hoveton. She returned on 31st August to steal a further £136 worth of toys.
Smith then hit Thetford Garden Centre, taking an unknown number of toys on 9th September and £58 worth on 23rd September.
CCTV footage of the thefts showed Smith concealing the expensive Jellycat branded toys in her bag, clothing or child's pram. She then left the premises without making any attempt at payment. They toys have a retail value of between £20 and £50 each.
Acting on intelligence received, police executed a search warrant at Smith's home address on 14th November 2024. During the search they recovered around 40 Jellycat toys, which had a total value of around £3,000.
Magistrates were of the view that Smith's offences, when considered in the round, were so serious that only a custodial sentence was appropriate. However, they have elected to suspend the custodial term, no doubt to the benefit of her children.
Smith was sentenced to 26 weeks' custody suspended for 24 months, with the requirement that she undertakes 40 days of accredited programme work and up to 7 days rehabilitation activity.
She was ordered to pay £1,400 in compensation and £154 surcharge.
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