TWO clothing shop bosses who bought stolen credit cards from a burglar to fake sales in their shops were fined a total of £9,000 yesterday and the burglar was jailed for five years.

Bank cards stolen from as far away as Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales ended up at two men's clothing stores in Middlesbrough.

The owners paid the burglar in cash or clothing for the cards, and then used them to obtain money by falsifying sales.

But Cleveland Police Fraud Squad uncovered the racket, said Rodney Jameson, prosecuting.

Colin Donaldson, 39, the owner of Triads Menswear, in Albert Road, Middlesbrough, and Haci Ozdemir, 34, the owner of Renaissance, in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud between April 1, 2001 and July 10, 2001.

Also charged with conspiring to defraud was Ian Lamming, 31, of Monklands Close, Middlesbrough, who also admitted a burglary in Scarborough in May 2001 and one in Middleton-in-Teesdale in July 2001.

He was jailed for five years, and two Vauxhall Cavalier cars, which he used in the crimes, were confiscated.

Donaldson, of Newstead Road, Longlands, Middlesbrough, admitted three fraudulent transactions totalling £775, and was fined £5,000.

Ozdemir, of Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, admitted four transactions totalling £960, and was fined £4,000.

They were both also ordered to pay costs of £3,375.

Mr Jameson said: "At the time of these arrests in the middle of 2001, the acceptance of stolen cards was quite a significant problem in Middlesbrough."

Judge John Walford commended Fraud Squad officers Christine Bell and Andrew King for their work.