A shop thief landed a job as a cleaner in a rival store less than a month after being arrested.
Joshua Molloy was given a community order for separate offences on October 1 but was caught stealing a hat from Fenwick just 11 days later.
The 27-year-old also attempted to remove a security tag from a jacket in USC on the same day but was caught in the act and left the shop, a court heard.
However, in the period between his arrest on October 11 and appearing in the dock, Molloy has landed a job as a cleaner in TK Maxx, his solicitor said.
Molloy, of Rudchester Place, Fenham, pleaded guilty to one count of theft and one of criminal damage at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court and was ordered to pay compensation.
Clare Irving, prosecuting, said Molloy first went into USC, in Eldon Square, at around 2.30pm on October 11 this year and asked a shop assistant to hand him a gilet coat from the top rail for him to try on.
Whilst trying it on in front of a mirror, he was noticed to be pulling at a security tag inside the jacket.
Ms Irving said: "The assistant manager guessed it was the security tag he was pulling and she thought he was trying to remove it. She told him to stop and he was asked to leave.
"He denied it and exited the shop and said 'What you going to do?"
The court heard that the security tag and jacket were damaged to the value of £215.
Minutes later, Molloy was spotted in Fenwick after the store's security had received a description of him from USC.
He was seen to try on a jacket and a Barbour hat but only returning the jacket when he came out of the fitting room, the prosecutor said.
Molloy, who has 12 past convictions for 18 offences, was arrested after being stopped in the store and found to have the hat down his pants.
Michael Crowe, defending, said Molloy had been struggling financially at the time but had since got a job as a cleaner for TK Maxx.
He told the court: "He was in court on October 1 for breaching a community order and was re-sentenced to a community order with a 20-week curfew keeping him indoors between 7pm and 6am.
"Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, he's committed the offences, which are before you today."
Mr Crowe also applied for the timings on the curfew to be altered, so Molloy could do early and late shifts at TK Maxx.
Magistrates agreed and he must now stay indoors between 8pm and 7am.
They also ordered Molloy to pay £215 compensation.
