A THIEF was arrested by police after turning up to the same shop twice in one day.

On July 8, Lorna Warren, of Lancashire Road, Millom, was arrested by Cumbria Police officers at Peacocks in Kendal, on the same day she had tried to steal £299 worth of items from the shop.

Staff at the shop had managed to recover the items after Warren had entered the premises at around 3.20pm.

After unsuccessfully stealing items from Peacocks, Warren then went into Boots in the town, where this time she managed to steal £600 worth of products.

The items have not been recovered by the shop and Warren will now have to pay £600 compensation after she pleaded guilty to the offence at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, August 5.

Defence solicitor Miss Karen Templeton explained Warren’s actions on that day were ‘a cry for help’ as she was suffering following the death of her mother-in-law and from post-natal depression.

Miss Templeton said: “She is a young lady, who has a history of mental health problems.

“If you look at her previous convictions, they don't appear to be in recent times.

“She tells me she had been diagnosed with a personality disorder.

“She can’t remember what happened and she apologises for it.

“She described it as a cry for help and is now getting help with her mental health in prison.”

Warren, who is currently serving a 20-week sentence at HMP Styal, was also handed a 14-day concurrent prison sentence by magistrates.