Shoplifter caught with £58 worth of Dairy Milk chocolate bars, cheese and chicken is jailed

A “prolific” shoplifter caught with 28 Dairy Milk chocolate bars has been jailed for 14 weeks.

Amy Kelly, 34, also stole three packets of chicken and Dairylea cheese from the Sainsbury’s moments before she was arrested by police in Darlington town centre on Tuesday.

Officers searching her bags found the stolen food, which totalled £58, as well as two Lenor Scent Boosters and cleaning products from Savers on Skinnergate, worth £44.

Describing her as a “prolific” shoplifter, Darlington Constabulary charged the 34-year-old with three counts of theft from a shop.

She was remanded in custody and appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Kelly, of Tom Raine Court, in Darlington, pleaded guilty to the offences and was jailed for 14 weeks.

Inspector Matt Plumb, from Darlington Neighbourhood Police Team, said: “Amy Kelly is a well-known thief who continues to offend despite repeated help and support offered to her by our Offender Management Unit and other agencies to change her behaviour.

“We will not tolerate people like her who commit these types of offences. Retail crime is far from being a victimless crime; it hurts businesses who must grapple with higher costs and lost stock, resulting in an increase in prices for us all.

“As a force, we are continuing to tackle this type of criminality by carrying out proactive patrols, pursuing offenders and working with our partners and local businesses to try and prevent offenders from committing these offences in the first place.”

In 2013, the serial shoplifter breached a suspended sentence and narrowly missed prison time again when she was given a “final, final, final chance” by a judge, who gave her another suspended sentence at Teeside Crown Court, reported The Northern Echo.