A crack addict brazenly walked into a high-end city centre store and pinched handbags worth thousands on three separate occasions.
Brian Lord, from Salford, stole eight handbags worth more than £3,000 from the Michael Kors store in New Cathedral Street.
Staff said they felt 'scared' and anxious when they saw him, as they didn't know what he might do if he was confronted.
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He admitted that he stole the expensive handbags, each worth hundreds of pounds, and sold them for £50 or £40 each to fund his crack cocaine habit.
But Lord, 45, who has spent the last three months in prison, is set to be released soon after his barrister appealed for him to be given one last chance.
Manchester Crown Court heard that Lord stole two handbags worth £805 on September 2, and a further three worth £1,005 three days later.
He was recognised by staff and caught on CCTV.
Lord was arrested and apologised, admitting that he sold them for £50 each to pay for drugs. He vowed not to return to the shop again.
But ten days later he was back at Michael Kors, this time walking out with three handbags worth £1,290.
He was arrested the following day, telling officers that he'd sold them for £40 each.
"These were plainly thefts from a shop you deliberately targeted because it sold high value goods that were easily accessible to you," Judge Patrick Field QC told Lord.
"That you sold the bags to satisfy your crack cocaine habit really doesn't improve matters."
Staff said they felt uneasy and scared to confront Lord, as they didn't know if he would become aggressive.
The thefts have affected their profits, prosecutor Benjamin Knight said.
"We fear him returning and have had enough," a statement from the shop said.
Lord admitted three counts of theft.
He was also in breach of a suspended sentence order for driving offences, for which the judge ordered him to carry out drug rehabilitation work.
Lord had been complying with the suspended sentence but relapsed, his barrister Saul Brody said.
"He is probably, in my submission, worth one final chance," Mr Brody said of Lord.
Mr Brody said Lord has been clean from drugs in prison, and has a home to go to which is also free of drugs.
Lord, of Lower Broughton Road, Salford, was sentenced to six months in prison, of which he would serve half.
Because he has been in jail for three months already, Lord is due to be released soon.
"It is your choice from now on," the judge told him.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Mr Lord, but let's hope we never meet again."
