MANAGEMENT at Waitrose in Marlborough set up a covert operation on their checkout operator Nicola Clements when they suspected she had been stealing money.

A secret camera was fitted above the till she worked on and it showed her taking money from the till and putting it in her blouse pocket.

As a result Clements, of Heart Close, Goatacre, near Calne, pleaded guilty to two offences of theft and asked for a further three offences to be taken into consideration when she appeared at Devizes Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The total stolen was £220 although £40 was recovered.

Rob Welling, prosecuting, told the court: "They (Waitrose management) isolated Nicola Clements as the suspect and tasked Neil Faulkner, the store detective, to prove it.

"On March 18 they monitored what she was doing and saw her take £40 from the till drawer and place it into her blouse pocket. She was challenged by security and she produced the £40.

She admitted she had been stealing for some time from Waitrose.

The court was told Clements, 23, had no previous convictions.

John Elliott, defending, said Clements earned £630 a month at Waitrose and her outgoings, which included £124 a month on cigarettes, left her with not much money.

He also said at the time of the thefts someone had been abusing Clements' own Waitrose store card and her offence had hurt her chance of obtaining a job where money is involved.

Probation officer John Crocker recommended imposing a conditional discharge.

Georgina Dalton, chairman of the magistrates, said: "Somewhat reluctantly we are minded to go along with what the report suggests so we will impose a conditional discharge for two years." Clements was also ordered to pay Waitrose £180 compensation at a rate of £5 per week.