A shoplifter who was part of a group that tried to steal more than £1,000 worth of items from Primark's Birmingham store using a suitcase and lift trick has been spared jail. The four females were stopped by security after they were spotted acting suspiciously.
One member of the group, Bianca Tudor, was charged with theft and pleaded guilty via a Romanian interpreter at Birmingham Magistrates' Court. The 21-year-old from Markby Road, Winson Green was fined £350 as well as £185 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.
Tudor's lawyer said she had “no need to steal” and simply made a “stupid decision”, as well as claiming that she was “frightened” during the hearing.
Prosecutor Shivali Patel said in quotes first reported by the Birmingham Mail : "Security officers watched four females on CCTV enter the store and act suspiciously. Two of them picked up two suitcases. They also filled shopping bags with clothing items.
"All four females entered a lift with clothing items and security officers observed them putting the clothes into the suitcases. Two of the females left the lift on one floor of the store while the other two left on another floor.
"They left empty shopping bags in the lift. At this point the security officer left the office and made his way to the High Street entrance of the store as he anticipated them leaving without payment."
The prosecutor stated that when the group saw the security they separated with three of them heading for the Moor Street side of the shop where they were detained and escorted back inside, suitcases in hand. The fourth was stopped at the High Street side. The stolen goods were valued at £1,018.
Ms Patel told the court in her interview that Tudor claimed to police she saw one of her female associates put the clothes in the suitcases first which “gave her the idea to do the same”. Alex Atkins, defending, argued his client had not gone to Primark intending to steal before her associate “suggested to her it would be easy to get away with it”.
He said: "She has been honest to the court and is not saying she was poor and needed to steal. She accepts she had no need to steal.”
Mr Atkins told the magistrates Tudor earned £350 a week working at Tesco and had “very little left” after paying for rent and bills. He added: "She has been saying to me during the course of the morning she is concerned about going to prison and certainly won't get in any more trouble again.
"She has found coming to court a frightening experience and seems quite genuine to me she is frightened to come back. In the circumstances I don't think you are likely to see her again."
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