A thief told a court she was egged on by her mates to steal hundreds of pounds worth of goods from a homeware store.

Paige Treeby went into The Range at the Dockside Outlet Centre in Chatham Maritime twice in August and filled up her trolley and walked out without paying.

The 20-year-old first went in on August 21, put £200 worth of goods in a trolley and walked out without being stopped.

She returned on August 25 and filled up a trolley with £332.87 worth of stock.

However, as Treeby, of Lidsing Road, near Hempstead, Gillingham, went to leave she was stopped by staff and all the goods were recovered.

Treeby was charged with two counts of shoplifting and admitted both offences when she appeared in the dock at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, October 11.

Emily Wiles, prosecuting, told the court Treeby had no other convictions on her record.

Wayne Crowhurst, defending, said: “She was encouraged by others, otherwise she is not known to police.

“She lives with her mum and dad.”

Magistrates decided to punish Treeby by way of a 12-month conditional discharge, but ordered she pay £200 compensation to The Range, a victim surcharge of £26 and £85 court costs.