A WORCESTER heroin addict has been jailed for six months for stealing £1,643.98 worth of goods.

Kimberly Probert admitted shoplifting and lying to an officer about her identity.

Probert, who has had a problem with drugs for many years, was already serving a suspended sentence for stealing two boxes of the diet-aid Alli – worth £48 – from Giles Pharmacy, Warndon, Worcester, and a £299.99 flat-screen Samsung television from Sainsbury’s in Wind-emere Drive, Warndon, both in August of this year. The 22-year-old, of Chedworth Drive, Warndon, then went on a seven-day shoplifting spree which started with her stealing another Samsung television from Sainsbury’s in Windemere Drive on Saturday, November 21.

On Wednesday, November 25, she stole two Play- station 3 consoles – together worth £498 – from Tesco in Redditch, returning the following day to do it again. Probert was only caught on the third day as she tried, once again, to steal a Playstation 3. She was taken into custody where she told her arresting officers her name was Sarah Spencer.

Paul Stanley, defending at Worcester Magistrates Court, described Probert as out of control when she stole the items.

Mr Stanley said her casual approach to stealing the televisions from Sainsbury’s – caught on CCTV – showed the depth of her problem with drugs. But, he said, her recent break-up from the boyfriend, who introduced her to heroin, marked a turning point for Probert.

She had returned to her family, was keen to find work and had self-detoxed while in custody. But the chairman of the bench Robert Porter said he had no choice but to send her to prison.

Mr Porter said: “Your previous conviction history is atrocious. Where community sentences have been imposed in the past they have been of little success.” Probert was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody for the first theft from Sainsbury’s, to run consecutively with a 12-week sentence for the theft on Wednesday, November 25.

Four-week sentences were given to each of the other thefts and obstructing a constable, to run concurrently.

Costs of £250 were to be dealt with by seven days in custody, also to run concurrently.