Man stole camping equipment from Swaffham shop 'while living in tent'

A spy hole at a Swaffham shop was used to watch a town man preparing to steal from a department store.

Christopher Duggan, 33, was living in woods on the edge of the town at the time of the offence last month, Lynn magistrates heard yesterday.

Prosecuting, Jane Walker said the incident happened after Duggan went into the DIY area of Thing Me Bobs on November 22.

Through a spy hole staff saw him put a Regatta camping stove and two gas canisters – total value £37.95 – into a bag.

Miss Walker added: “That particular bag broke. He then selected another and left the store without attempting to pay.”

Unemployed Duggan, of Cley Road, pleaded guilty to theft from a shop and admitted breaching a conditional discharge for three previous thefts.

Mitigating, Alison Muir said her client had suffered a relationship breakdown over the past year and had nowhere to live. He had been staying with friends.

She added: “At the time of this offence he was sleeping in a tent in woods just outside Swaffham. So the items were for his use, for cooking food.

"They were for need rather than greed. Now he is in slightly better circumstances and is living in a caravan.”

Adjourning the case to January 25 for a pre-sentencing report, chair of the magistrates’ bench, Jean Meldrum, told Duggan that he would also be re-sentenced for the previous thefts and could expect a “low level” community order.