Sutton man stole £750 of Lego during ‘bad time’ when he was losing his flat
A Sutton man stole £750 of Lego and other goods from the same store during a bad time in his life when he was losing his flat, a court has heard.
Lee Gebbie targeted B&M on Baum's Lane, Mansfield, six times between January 13 and May 5, magistrates in Mansfield were told.
On one occasion he was challenged by a member of staff but denied stealing anything, and on another he fled via a fire escape.
The court heard the thefts were aggravated by his record.
He has ten previous convictions for 20 offences, including four for theft, and was last in trouble on March 18 when he was fined for shoplifting.
A tearful Gebbie, who represented himself, said he had recently lost his best friend.
"I was in a bad time in my life," he said. "I was losing my flat and everything was going wrong.
"I have stopped shoplifting now. I have managed to stay off the drugs."
He said he was hoping to set up a garden clearance business and had got himself a vehicle. His former line of work had been badly hit during the lockdown, he added.
Gebbie, aged 50, of Langton Court, Sutton, admitted six counts of theft when he appeared before Mansfield Magistrates Court on March 27.
Sentencing was adjourned for probation reports on Thursday when he received 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, with ten rehabilitation activity days.
He was also ordered to pay £750 compensation but no costs were awarded because of his means.