A “SERIAL shoplifter” has been warned to be of good behaviour for six months after she was caught taking a hoover from a Musselburgh store.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that Jacqueline Reynolds made off with the item from the Farmfoods outlet on High Street earlier this year.

The court was told that staff at the shop noticed the item was missing during a check and, after watching CCTV footage, they “observed the accused removing a hoover from the front display”.

The hoover was said to be worth £100 and there was no recovery of the item.

Lawyer Cameron Tait, representing Reynolds, said his client’s conduct was “completely unacceptable” and she had committed the theft “to get money for drugs”.

Mr Tait said that the 44-year-old had received custodial sentences “on many occasions” previously and was currently on a community payback order which was due to expire in July.

Sheriff Gordon Liddle described Reynolds, of Castle Road, Port Seton, as “a serial shoplifter” but said he was willing to defer sentence for her to be of good behaviour for six months.

The sheriff said: “This puts the responsibility back onto you.”

Reynolds pleaded guilty to stealing a quantity of electrical equipment from Farmfoods, High Street, Musselburgh, on March 25.

She also had a not guilty plea accepted by the Crown to stealing an air fryer from the same store on the same date.