A SHOPLIFTER, who stole meat, cleaning products, clothing and teeth whiter, has been ordered to pay hundreds of pounds in compensation.

Tammy McBride, 44, pleaded guilty to nine counts of shoplifting at Colchester Magistrates’ Court last Thursday and was given a 20 day drug rehabilitation order.

McBride, of Orwell Road, Dovercourt, admitted stealing £625 of items between April 13 and July 11, including bottles of shampoo from Home Bargains, clothing from Peacocks, and vodka from Asda in Dovercourt.

She also admitted stealing meat products from the East of England Co-op, washing detergents from One Stop, and teeth whitening products from Boots, and was ordered to pay £312.88 in compensation.

But shopkeeper Laurence Munday, owner of Wellworth-a-Pound in High Street, Dovercourt, criticised the punishments, saying he has only ever had one shoplifter pay compensation and says it never covers the amount stolen.

Mcbride stole a variety of household items totally £60 from Wellworth-a-Pound on June 1 and was ordered to pay £30 compensation.

Mr Munday said: “You can never stop the little kid that takes a bar of chocolate.

“It’s the prolific ones that have the best part of £1,000 from us at sale price.

“But you can never win and we don’t expect to.”

Mr Munday installed a 50-inch TV screen at the shop in 2015 to show thieves in action and posts footage on Facebook.

He added: “The cameras have helped massively - they have cut shoplifting back by about 80per cent.“It’s stops the person that suddenly realises if they get caught their mum or nan or friends get to see them stealing - it becomes uncomfortable.It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done in a shop in the 25 years I’ve been a shopkeeper.

“I didn’t realise when we first put them in who and when people were stealing. It can be the people that talk to you about your children and then they go and steal from you.”