A woman has admitted targeting Norwich sportswear stores to steal hundreds of pounds worth of clothing.

Chloe Bates, 22, stole clothing items worth almost £400 on one shoplifting visit to Mountain Warehouse in the city centre last month.   

On another occasion on September 18 last year she stole tracksuits worth £135 from the Nike factory store at Riverside Retail Park.   

Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told she had been identified by police after being captured on CCTV.

She was also seen stealing a handbag worth £100 from TK Maxx on August 28.

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Appearing in the court dock in custody after being arrested on Saturday for failing to respond to a notice of intended prosecution, Bates, of Hillmead, Norwich, pleaded guilty to three counts of shop theft. 

Lucy Brakewell, mitigating, said it had been driven by recent drug issues and that she had previously had no convictions.   

“Things have gone steadily downhill and she is vulnerable,” she added.

Deputy District Judge Claire Furlong ordered she comply with the compiling of a pre-sentence report ahead of being sentenced on April 24.