A prolific thief who targeted a Workington clothes shop has been jailed - for his 165th shoplifting offence.

Stephen Michael Stelmach, 62, admitted stealing clothes worth hundreds of pounds from Top Shop after CCTV cameras captured him using a device designed to remove security tags.

Prosecutor Peter Bardsley described how the defendant had gone to the Dunmail Park shop on August 13 armed with a “detagging device,” which allowed him to discreetly remove security tags from stock.

After he left the shop, staff found 15 discarded tags lying about in the store.

“CCTV shows him selecting items from the rails, and the manager Miss Jones said that at no point does he go to the till and pay,” said the prosecutor.

The manager said she estimated that the value of the stock stolen was £600. The defendant was arrested 10 days later in Carlisle.

When questioned by police officers, Stelmach openly admitted that he had gone to the shop, and hidden various items of clothing under his clothes. He could not remember how many items he stole.

He later sold the stolen clothing - all of it for women – for £80 to a man he had met in a Workington cafe, he said.

Mr Bardsley said: “When asked about the detagging device, he just carried it with him but never used it. He was told that the CCTV had captured him using it, and he said he may have used it if he was tempted.

“He said he'd found it in a skip near the shopping centre.”

The court heard that Stelmach, who admitted theft and going equipped for theft, had an extensive criminal record which already included 164 previous thefts.

Paul Tweddle, for Stelmach, said the defendant was a single man who lived in Camberley Street, Leeds, with his 91-year-old father.

The lawyer said that Stelmach accepted his previous history of offending would dictate how the two offences were punished.

Tom Lomas, chairman of the magistrates, told Stelmach: “You seem to have made a career out of going all over the country stealing. So we feel that we have no other option but to place you in custody.”

The defendant was jailed for 24 weeks. In addition, Stelmach must pay a £115 victim surcharge.