A PROLIFIC thief has been told she may face prison over stealing hundreds of pounds worth of cosmetic items in the latest of a string of dishonesty offences.

Over a three-day period, Anne Marie Varey, 54, was caught on CCTV taking almost £300 worth of goods from Boots, in Darlington, putting her in breach of a suspended jail sentence imposed three months ago.

Varey pleaded guilty to three charges of theft from a shop in Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, after taking cosmetics from the town centre chemists between November 23 and 25.

Stephen Andrew, mitigating, told the court the offences put her in breach of 12-month prison term suspended for 18 months for burglary sentenced by a crown court judge.

A prosecution outline of the case stated that Varey, of Wordsworth Road, Darlington, had entered Boots with a bag for life in order to steal.

The prosecution added: “On November 23, the cosmetic items taken are valued at £76.49 and on the second offence on November 25, those cosmetics items taken are valued at £149.99.

“Due to the store CCTV being observed the witness saw Miss Varey had been in the shop an hour beforehand and similar items were taken on that occasion, valuing £71.59.”

Magistrates referred Varey to Teesside Crown Court where a judge will decide how she should be sentenced for the thefts and for breaching her suspended prison term at a date to be set.

She was granted unconditional bail and addressed magistrates to say: “Sorry about this, I won’t let this happen again".