Prolific thief who threatened Bargain Buys shop staff back behind bars

Daniel Kendall struck twice on the same day at stores in Bloxwich High Street on September 13, a judge heard.

The 29-year-old first targeted Bargain Buys where he was overheard to tell his unidentified accomplice: "They always follow us in here, so lets take what we want."

The defendant, who claims to steal £50-a-day's worth of goods to fund his heroin habit, started filling a carrier bag with washing powder containers, explained Ms Raj Punia, prosecuting.

The female manager tried to stop him and a struggle developed during which she was spun round and pushed into some shelving.

He dropped the bag and she emptied its contents onto the floor.

He warned her he had a knife, which turned out to be half of a pair of scissors used to cut his drugs, and fled.

Kendall then stole £102 worth of cosmetics from Lloyds Pharmacy but was recognised on CCTV footage and was arrested at his home on September 28.

Ms Aimee Parkes, defending, said: "He is genuinely sorry for his actions and knows that if this pattern of offending continues his sentences will just get longer and longer."

The defendant from Irvine Road, Bloxwich, who had 46 previous convictions involving 106 offences, admitted attempted robbery and shoplifting.

Judge James Burbidge QC told him: "You have been a public menace because of your addiction. Shopkeepers and those who work in shops need to be protected by the court."