Two friends from South Holland stole more than £560 of baby clothes from a Primark store to send back to their native Romania, a court was told.
It was not a pre-planned operation but a spur of the moment thing, argued the solicitor representing Andreaa Dumitrescu (25) and Ana Maria Enache (22).
Stacie Cossey, prosecuting at King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, said the defendants were detained at the town’s branch by staff until police arrived.
“Together with another female they were seen collecting items and putting them into the bags they had with them. The total of the items was £566.30,” she added.
All the items were recovered.
Dumitrescu, of Oxford Gardens, Holbeach, and Enache, of South Parade, Spalding, pleaded guilty to theft on July 28.
They were of previous good character.
Mitigating, George Sorrell said: “They realise from this experience that they have embarked on a dishonest enterprise. They didn’t go out with that intention – to go shoplifting on a Sunday.
“There’s no Primark in Holbeach or Spalding. Apparently King’s Lynn is the nearest branch of that shop. They did come to look at and possibly sample its stock and decided then – once they were in there – walk out without paying for the items.
“The intended destination was to be friends with children on a planned visit back to Romania where these things are in short supply. If the parents knew the items were stolen they would be less happy for their children to wear them.
“I don’t know if there is any Primark shop in Romania. I can’t think what market there is in England.
“They are very sorry for what they have done and assure that it won’t happen again. Neither of them are particularly well off but they realise that’s no excuse.”
Dumitrescu and Enache were each fined £230 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £32 victim surcharge.
