A shoplifter who dressed a young child in clothes at Big W has been convicted for stealing from Big W and Kmart on three separate occasions
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Leslie Miller, 31, of Torpy Street, was arrested near Kmart on Monday and he appeared in court via a video link from Orange Police Station and was sentenced on the spot.
According to police, Miller, a co-accused and a child entered Kmart at 9.45am on July 16.
While in the store the child was dressed in tracksuit pants and a t-shirt from the store.
According to police, other items were paid for but they walked out without paying for the clothes, a stroller or a black baseball bat.
At 2.17pm on Monday, Miller entered Big W with a co-accused and stole imitation rose-gold earrings and an imitation yellow-gold bracelet, an Independence Day DVD and a pair of gloves that were removed from a glove and beanie pack.
According to police they paid for chocolate and chips at the checkout but the other items were placed into a handbag.
Miller then attended Orange Police Station at 2.38pm then went across the road to Kmart at 2.42pm.
About 2.45pm staff phoned police about Miller and a co-accused being in the store and officers arrived at 2.50pm and spoke to staff outside the shop.
While inside Kmart, Miller stole a mattress topper for a double bed , a Tic Tac Toe game, coloured chalk, a child's place mat and a travel game.
Miller was carrying the mattress topper and a plastic bag when police saw him leave Kmart and he was stopped when he started walking down the ramp towards the car park.
Police conducted a search and found the stolen items.
Miller was interviewed and made admissions to the shoplifting but said he had no knowledge or memory of the incidents.
Solicitor Lucien Gration said on Tuesday that Miller's record for dishonesty did not assist him but his last matter for dishonesty was in 2011.
However, he said Miller was on bail for another matter when he committed the July offences.
Magistrate David Day said there was "a little bit of cunning" involved in the thefts and he gave Miller 12 month community correction orders for each of the three offences, he also ordered Miller pay compensation to the shops.
He also ordered Miller to pay $51 to Kmart for stealing the clothes, stroller and baseball bat on July 16, $41 to Big W for the jewellery, gloves and DVD, and $50.50 to Kmart for the mattress topper and games.
"If he was someone who just stole from shops I would jail him but he doesn't," Mr Day said.
He said the very early plea was also a mitigating circumstance.
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