A woman turned to shoplifting as she came under pressure from bailiffs, a court heard. Denise Clarke racked up around £15,000 in unpaid council tax and other debts — then she was caught stealing pyjamas from a Cardiff lingerie store.
The 48-year-old, of Rhymney Street in Roath, appeared at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on May 11 after pleading guilty to theft and having a magnet to remove security tags from items at Victoria's Secret in St David's Centre. Prosecutor Emily Jermin said the defendant and another woman entered the store on November 28 last year. "One of the women was seen walking towards the pyjama section and removing security tags, while the other came over with a carrier bag and put the pyjamas in," said Ms Jermin.
Clarke and her accomplice left the store without paying for the eight pairs of satin pyjamas, which were worth £426.64. Within three weeks the pair had returned to steal again.
