Three thieving mothers who stole more than £1,300 worth of footwear and cosmetics from two retail parks and a shopping centre have avoided jail.
Karen Beckett, 44, Paige Griffin, 28, and Ann-Marie Beckett, 35 went on "serious thieving" spree in Cheshire's "Golden Triangle" on November 9 last year.
The shoplifters carried out test runs and used foil lined bags to avoid security detectors before stealing items from Matalan, TK Maxx, Next and Home Bargains in just three hours.
The trio first looted Matalan and Home Bargains at the Lyme Green retail park in Macclesfield.
Three thieving mothers who stole more than £1,300 worth of footwear and cosmetics from two retail parks and a shopping centre have avoided jail (stock image)
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They then headed to Handforth Dean near Wilmslow and stole 73 items of clothing footwear and cosmetics totalling £1,340.
The group tried to flee back to the West Midlands in a Nissan Qashqai but were arrested after security officials were able to identify the car involved in the thefts via CCTV.
Officers located the women and recovered all of the stolen items.
Following inquiries, police found that the Mums all had criminal records with two having previous convictions for theft.
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The Becketts, from Walsall - who are thought to be related - and Griffin of Willenhall were given 26 weeks in jail under sentencing guidelines but they received suspended jail terms due to "varying degrees of problems" with their lives.
Karen Beckett had 35 previous convictions for undisclosed offences from 1995 to 2011 while Griffin had four offences on her record including going equipped for theft in 2019 and theft in 2021.
Sentencing the three women, Ian Williams, Chairman of the magistrates' bench, said: "We did look into this offending in depth and we do feel there were serious elements to this - not least the fact it was planned.
"There was a considerable distance they travelled and there were four different shops they went in. They also took foil lined bags with them.
The shoplifters carried out test runs and used foil lined bags to avoid security detectors before stealing items from Matalan, TK Maxx, Next and Home Bargains in just three hours
PA"But we are mindful when two of these people are from one family, there are children and other problems involved."
Ann-Marie Beckett was sentenced to eight weeks custody suspended for a year, Karen Beckett for 12 weeks custody suspended for a year and Griffin got 18 weeks custody suspended for 12 months.
They were each ordered to pay £274 in costs and surcharge.
The theft charges against a fourth woman were dropped.
