A SHOPLIFTER stole items valued at a total of more than £850 from seven different stores.

Carl James Behan, 39, of Friarn Avenue, Bridgwater, pleaded guilty to 12 separate offences in the town between April and December last year when he appeared at Taunton Magistrates' Court.

He was handed two-week prison sentences to run consecutively on each count and suspended for 24 months.

The court was told Behan targeted Aldi three times in two days, stealing meat with an overall value of £252.48.

He twice stole items from Morrisons - groceries worth £65.93 and meat priced at £146.

He took meat worth £25 from Londis, and meat, alcohol and cakes of an unknown value from One-Stop.

His haul of alcohol from Lidl was valued at £69.96.

On one occasion he stole two hot dogs valued at £4.20 from the Co-op and £32 worth of lamb steaks from the same store on a different day.

He twice shoplifted from Boots, taking perfume sets priced at £130 on one occasion and two electric shavers worth £125 on another day,