Joanna Scott, Catherine Parkin and Zara Hawkins have all been put behind bars after targeting Easington Colliery Co-op several times over recent months.
The trio repeatedly stole items such as chocolate, meat and coffee, running into hundreds of pounds of losses for the store.
Officers from the Easington Neighbourhood Policing Team have been arresting and putting them all before the courts repeatedly.
Scott, 46, of Easington Colliery, pleaded guilty to three counts of shop theft when she appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on August 10 and was handed eight weeks in prison.
Parkin, 38, of Stanley, pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft and seven breaches of a restraining order meant to prevent her entering the store at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court today. She was sentenced to eight months in prison.
Meanwhile, Hawkins, 40, of Easington Colliery, pleaded guilty to shop theft and breaching her Criminal Behaviour Order at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on July 25. She was given a 12-week prison sentence.
The trio are hopefully set to be joined by fellow shoplifter Aaron Kay, who pleaded guilty to eight counts of shop theft from the same store when he appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on July 30.
The 36-year-old, of Peterlee, was remanded into custody and is expected to be sentenced at the Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on August 19.
Restraining orders for all four will also be applied for.
Neighbourhood inspector, Mark Garfoot, said: “Shop theft is not a victimless crime and we see the damage it does to our communities when businesses are repeatedly targeted by petty criminals like these.
“We are glad they have been put behind bars and will continue to relentlessly arrest and put before the courts, anyone who breaks the law on our patch.”
