Worcester thieves stole from Boots, House of Fraser and TK Maxx

Elena Ilascu, who was in tears at court after being warned she could go to jail, and Bianca Zalomir, stole cosmetics, clothes, toiletries from Boots, House of Fraser and TK Maxx in Worcester.

FREE: Elena Ilascu 

Ilascu, 22, of Tolladine Road, Worcester and Zalomir, 21, also of Tolladine Road, Worcester, each admitted three thefts in the build up to Christmas last year when they appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday.

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The pair stole £942.11 of cosmetics and toiletries from Boots in Worcester High Street on Christmas Eve; three boxes of perfume to the value of £249.50 from House of Fraser in the Crowngate Shopping Centre, also on Christmas Eve, and £898 of clothing, cosmetics and toiletries from TK Maxx in Worcester High Street on December 22 last year.

FREE: Bianca Zalomir. Photo: James Connell

Both women were working for an agency, carrying out warehouse work, at the time of the thefts. Details of the offences against them were relayed via a Romanian interpreter.

Owen Beale, prosecuting, said the matters came to light on Christmas Eve when the two were observed in Boots at around 10.45am 'taking items and concealing them in bags they had with them'.

"Security staff alerted police and community support officers intercepted these two" said Mr Beale.

Also found on them were items taken from House of Fraser earlier that day. They were detained and thefts two days earlier at TK Maxx were also linked to the defendants, stolen items being recovered at their house.

No compensation was requested by the Crown as all items stolen were recovered.

Ilascu was interviewed by officers. "She explained she had come to England to work but wasn't making as much as she expected, went in to buy from Boots but saw such nice things she decided to steal them," said Mr Beale.

Ilascu stole baby clothes, claiming her aunt had recently given birth and she 'wanted to send her something'.

Zalomir 'gave much the same sort of account' said Mr Beale.

Neither defendant had been in trouble before.

Jo Outhwaite, who appeared for both, said both had entered guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity and sometimes such offences were dealt with by way of a police caution.

She added: "Quite often, for shoplifting type offences where there are full admissions - which there clearly was here - first time offenders would, ordinarily, be offered that opportunity."

Mrs Outhwaite said Ilascu came to the UK with her boyfriend to work and had been here since last June. She has no family members here.

"She had not come to the UK with the intention to find herself in trouble with the law in any way" said the solicitor. "It was incredibly foolish to embark on this activity over the two day period outlined. It's not something she has ever done before" said Mrs Outhwaite. She said there was no intention to sell the items on to make a profit.

Zalomir had been in the UK for a year. "Until now the very serious nature of the allegations haven't dawned on them. I don't think it could be said that any of the offences were particularly sophisticated. I think I speak for both of them when I say this is a two day period they bitterly regret and out of character for both" she said.

Both women were handed a 12 week electronically tagged curfew. Ilascu's will be between 7pm and 4am daily and Zalomir's between 7pm and 7am. The different hours for each is to allow them to attend work.

They each must pay costs of £185 and a victim surcharge of £95.