A THIEF who stole £600 worth of alcohol, electrics and shoes during five raids across two weeks has been sentenced.

Robert Brown, of no fixed address in the Braintree district, admitted to five counts of theft when he appeared in court.

The 43-year-old was sentenced to a total of eight weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, after his raids on shops in Braintree town centre.

It began on January 3 when he stole three bottles of vodka, worth a total of £111, from Sainsbury’s.

He stole Sony electrical goods, worth £118, and alcohol and other electricals, which were worth £144, from Tesco on January 7.

Brown later stole two electrical cleaners, worth £89.99, from B&M on January 17.

Finally, on January 18, he stole two bottles of alcohol and a pair of shoes from Tesco with a total value of £85.

As well as the suspended sentence, Brown must also pay £532.99 in compensation and was handed a drug rehabilitation order.

He was sentenced at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, January 23.