A RETAIL manager’s exasperated explanation of the significant impact of theft did nothing to prevent a shoplifter with 194 offences to her name walking free from court on Thursday.

On Thursday, April 13, serial thief Barbara Cheryl Taylor removed barcodes from bedding at The Range in Darlington with the intention of stealing the items.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court heard that the 38-year-old abandoned the goods and left the shop after realising she had been spotted by staff.

She was identified via CCTV and – despite her lengthy criminal record and an existing community order – escaped with an 18 month conditional discharge after pleading guilty to attempted theft.

Chair of the bench Glynn Wales also ordered Taylor - of Barden Moor Road, Darlington - to pay £105 costs after the court heard a statement from the shop’s manager.

The manager, who did not want to be named, said: “Dealing with incidents like this on a daily basis costs money and causes losses that could have consequences like job losses in the long term.

“We are having to tag more items and we are having to put more staff and spend more money on the shop floor having to do this.

“Whenever I go to managerial conferences, a third of the day is spent talking about retail crime, which costs companies a lot of money.

“Every time a theft occurs costs time and it costs money to deal with – too much of my time is spent dealing with such matters rather than dealing with improving the store and customer service.

“If police are in attendance regularly, this will also have a negative impact on our customers.”

Stephen Andrews, mitigating, helped to convince magistrates to hand down a conditional discharge after outlining the efforts Taylor was making to engage with probation workers and a variety of agencies to change her life.

He claimed she had planned to steal the bedding for her own use, after moving several times left her without many belongings.

However, that claim was contradicted in Taylor’s police interview, during which she admitted her intention to steal the items and sell them on.

The chair of the bench told Taylor: “You have heard the effect you have had on the shop, which is totally negative - but on the other hand, there are people who are trying to put you on the right road.

“We are giving you the benefit of the doubt but you must repay that by working with the probation service, which will be the key to getting you on the straight and narrow.”