By admin 
Two thieves walked into a JD Sports store, lifted a load of jackets from the rails and then placed them on their legs, a court heard.
Lee Plant and Luke Ransome, who both have long criminal records, walked into the store Virgo Stone and grabbed some coats before walking away.
Luke Ransome (pictured) was jailed for his part in the shoplifting at JD Sports
Police were called and Ransome, 45, was seen with the items in the city center just 15 minutes later and arrested.
The next day, officers arrested 44-year-old Plant. The pair were interviewed and later charged with shoplifting, which they admitted when they appeared before magistrates in Medway on December 31.
Rajni Prashar, prosecuting, told the court that the pair committed the offense on December 29 and that both had done so while on suspended sentences.
She added: “It was 3.50pm and they went into the JD Sports store in Maidstone, went to the coat aisle, grabbed the coats from the rail and left without making any attempt to pay by walking out of the store to run into town.
“Officers arrested Ransome in Maidstone town center shortly after the thefts on December 29.
“Plant was arrested on December 30 and the items valued at £280 were all recovered except one which we say was worth £70.”
The court also heard that Plant, of West Park Road, Maidstone, and Ransome, of Captain’s Close, Sutton Valence, Maidstone, both had lengthy case files.
Ms Prashar added: “There is a long list of convictions for dishonesty for Ransome and in his last conviction for theft he was given a 24 month ban so he is in breach of that condition.
“Plant also has a number of convictions for theft and was last sentenced to 24 months’ parole in March. So he violates this.
‘He also committed the theft while he was still on a suspended sentence that he had previously received.
Luke Ransome and Lee Plant steal jackets from JD Sports in Maidstone Photo: Google
“So there is a plethora of violations by both defendants.”
The court also heard the pair decided to steal the jackets due to a lack of money. Plant had overspent at Christmas and needed cash because his son’s birthday was January 3 and he had no money to buy him anything, but he said all the jackets were recovered by police.
Magistrates told the pair that because they had a suspended sentence there was no reason not to jail them for their latest crime.
As a result, they activated part of Ransome’s suspended sentence and jailed him for a week for the latest shoplifting. It meant he was jailed for a total of 25 weeks and had to pay £239 in court costs if released.
Plant was also jailed for a week for the crime and part of his suspended sentence was also activated. He will spend a total of 15 weeks in custody and was also ordered to pay the same costs.
Police said in a statement after the hearing that Ransome had been chased to a section of a towpath near Fremlin Walk and successfully detained.
Chief Inspector Steve Kent said: “Ransome and Plant are repeat and prolific thieves, who cause significant damage to retailers and can also cause problems for staff who are forced to endure abuse, threats and sometimes violence simply for doing their job.
“However, I hope that the response of our officers and the subsequent swift justice will once again demonstrate our steadfast commitment to protecting businesses from the small minority of people whose actions cause a disproportionate volume of crime.”