Woman steals £350 hot tub from B&M's - then sells it at half the price

Elisha Brown, 19, lifted it into a trolley and walked unspotted from B&M’s store at Hylton Riverside Retail Park – then sold it at half price.

Two months later, on Friday, May 2, she tried to steal £247 of foodstuffs from Home Bargains in Secretan Way, central South Shields, but was stopped as she exited.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, Brown pleaded guilty to one count each of theft from a shop and attempted theft.

She also asked for four shop thefts – including £180 of goods from Tesco, and £100 from Matalan – to be taken into account.

Prosecutor Emily Sanderson said Brown committed the hot tub theft at 3.30pm on Monday, March 3, adding: “The defendant entered the store and took the item.

“A witness also states she saw the defendant enter Home Bargains and was made aware that she was attempting to steal foodstuffs of £247.

“Staff have stopped the suspect and recovered the goods. The defendant made full admissions in interview.

“There are also offences to be taken into account. The defendant has no previous convictions.”

The Probation Service told the hearing Brown had been impacted by her father’s death in 2018, which had led to her losing her fixed home life.

She was placed with a family member in accommodation she felt inappropriate, leading to her sleeping rough and sofa surfing.

Probation said Brown had gained qualifications at school and had ambitions to work and get permanent accommodation.

It also confirmed she had sold the hot tub for £170, in a bid to get cash for food which she “needed to survive”.

David Forrester, defending, described Brown’s lifestyle situation as “very sad”, adding: “She has no cautions or convictions.

“Having left her family support, it appears she has been sofa surfing. She tells me that she’s been taking things to live.”

Magistrates sentenced Brown to a 10-month community order, with up to 10 rehabilitation days, and ordered her to pay a total of £637 compensation to retailers.