Belfast honey thief is jailed for six months after shoplifting spree at seven stores
A Belfast woman who stole more than £500 worth of honey as part of a shoplifting spree across the city centre has been jailed for six months.
Ann McClorey also took jewellery, clothes, accessories and other stock from seven stores targeted on the same day.
The 46-year-old, of Annesley Street, admitted nine counts of theft along with a further offence of having a quantity of cannabis.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard she first raided Holland & Barrett on June 25 this year, stealing jars of Manuka honey valued at £269.
McClorey returned to the retailer on July 14 to take another three jars of the nectar-based products worth £300.
She was detained at a bus stop by police who discovered an assortment of other items stolen from Boots, HMV, H&M, Avoca, Dune and Lovisa.
Prosecutors said the haul, with a total value of nearly £600, included jewellery, clothes and scarves, candles and air fresheners.
District Judge Steven Keown highlighted McClorey’s “appalling” record of 56 previous thefts.
Her barrister, Turlough Madden, acknowledged she had amassed a significant amount of dishonesty offences.
“There are genuine psychiatric issues in the background… and a thread of substance abuse,” he submitted.
Sentencing McClorey to six months in custody for the thefts, Mr Keown declared: “This was an absolute spree.
“It’s a difficult enough trading environment for shops without watching somebody stealing left, right and centre.”