A thief stole a perfume bottle from Sainsbury’s – while on bail for running out of Waterstone’s with a till.

Jake Smith, 32, was seen in the Heyford Hill supermarket to stamp on the bottle in order to remove the security tag before he tried to walk away with the sweet-smelling booty. He was detained.

Appearing before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday morning, Smith, of Henwood, Boars Hill, pleaded guilty to theft.

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The court heard he was awaiting sentence for a non-dwelling burglary and associated offences. He went into a staff area at Waterstones, in central Oxford, on April 26 and walked out the shop with a till.

Smith took the till to an underground car park and smashed it. Prosecutor Ben May said there had been an estimated £120 in the till; Smith was said to have taken the notes, leaving behind around £40 in loose change.

The thief had almost 150 previous offences on his rap sheet, including a large number of theft and other dishonesty offences.

The defendant’s advocate, Jayne Wilkinson, said her client was receiving support from addiction charity Turning Point and the probation service. He is currently subject to a drug rehabilitation order.

Smith was bailed to return to court on July 4 for sentencing on all matters.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward