A SHOPLIFTING couple who stole from Bolton charity shops have been ordered to complete community service.

Nicolae Iancu and Susana Ornea went on a town centre crime spree, targeting seven shops and chainstores, stealing goods worth more than £400.

The couple, of Milford Road, Bolton, had pleaded guilty earlier to seven charges of theft and appeared before Bolton Magistrates yesterday for sentencing.

The court heard that they went on a shoplifting spree on July 7 in which clothing and shoes worth £184.40 were taken from British Home Stores.

They also stole £150 worth of costume jewellery from Claire’s Accessories; clothing worth £3 from the British Heart Foundation; £13 worth of clothing from Age Concern, £3 worth of clothing from British Red Cross; clothing worth £7 from Marie Curie Cancer Trust and £32 worth of clothing from the Arthritis Research Campaign.

Nicola Ormerod, prosecuting, said BHS staff alerted police when they saw three people acting suspiciously.

She said: “Officers observed a theft taking place with items being concealed under two females’ skirts.”

A search revealed that bags had been attached to the skirts in which items worth just over £400 had been concealed.

Suzanne Gower, defending, described Iancu and Ornea as being of previous good character in this country and in Romania.

They were “truly ashamed of their behaviour” after the concept of charity shops had been explained to them.

She said they had come to the UK from Romania last August to find work, but problems with National Insurance numbers delayed this.

The court heard that Iancu was now working six days a week in restaurant kitchens and the couple were looking to bring over their two children from Romania. Ornea is expecting another child.

Iancu, aged 26, was given a 12-month community order, ordered to do 120 hours of community service and must pay costs of £86.

Ornea, aged 24, was given a 12-month community order and ordered to do 150 hours of community service.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of the third person charged in connection with the offences.

schaudhari@theboltonnews.co.uk