Serial thief James Bingham was found hiding under a pile of clothes after stealing gift boxes worth more than £400.
The 45-year-old was identified on CCTV after the products were stolen from Wilko, on South Shields' Market Place between December 2 and December 7.
On Monday December 12 police attended the home of one of Bingham's relatives in the town, where he was soon rumbled and found hiding under a pile of clothes.
