A SHOPLIFTER went prepared for thieving with a specially adapted carrier bag designed to stop alarms going off.

Burnley Magistrates heard how James Bradbury, plagued by addictions to drink and drugs, was seen putting five DVDs into the bag, adapted using silver foil, by a store detective.

Bradbury, who has 87 previous convictions, 58 of them for theft, was given a chance by the bench and told to take advantage of it as the court may not be so lenient if there was a next time.

Bradbury, 32, of Hampden Street, Burnley, admitted theft and thanked the justices for the opportunity they had given him.

He was given a 12 months community rehabilitation order, to include six months on the Dordrecht initiative and ordered to pay £69 costs.

Graeme Tindall, defending, said Bradbury did not offer any violence to the store detective. The property was recovered and the defendant made full and frank admissions.

Bradbury knew he would either face a further period of custody or would be given a chance of rehabilitation under the Dordrecht scheme.

If he was sent to jail, it would only be a short term and would not deal with any problems he had.