A thief told a court "I just wanted a lamp" after she was caught stealing from the same store twice in two days.
As previously reported on Chroniclelive in July this year, Gemma Rowell was fined £369 after she helped herself to £1,200-worth of perfume and clothes from Fenwick. On that occasion, the 32-year-old claimed it was a one-off as she was desperate for money but had found a job and would stay out of trouble in future.
However, just six weeks later, Rowell gave in to temptation by twice targeting B & Q, in North Shields, in just 48 hours and stealing a lamp and laser leveller, worth a total of £205. This time, she gave the excuse that she was renovating her home on Broxburn Close, in Wallsend, a court was told.
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Rowell was fined £120 after she admitted two counts of shop theft and said to magistrates as she left the dock "I just wanted a lamp, you know, cheers guys".
Prosecutor Bushra Begum said Rowell first walked in to B & Q on August 20 this year. She added: "Essentially, she takes possession of a floor lamp, valued at £65, and leaves without offering payment. She's captured on CCTV.
"The defendant returns two days later and steals a laser leveller. On that occasion, a security guard observed her committing the offence and cornered her outside the shop. She was detained and that item was recovered. That's also captured on CCTV."
North Tyneside Magistrates' Court was told that the floor lamp was later found at Rowell's home, although the packaging had been removed and it was unsure if it could be resold. The thief has 10 offences on her record, including the two shopliftings from Fenwick in July.
Mark Harrison, defending, said Rowell had briefly moved out of her Wallsend home and, when she returned, it had been damaged. Mr Harrison added: "She needed to make her house nice again. The offences were about as amateurish and shambolic as you can get"
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