A CARLISLE crook caught red-handed as he committed his 200th crime told police at the scene he was 'not a criminal'.

Officials from a security firm alerted officers to an alarm sounding at the city’s Poundland, St Nicholas Gate, at 3.30am on June 27.

Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard PCs went to the store.

“A glass pane of the shop had been smashed and was large enough for a male to gain entry,” said prosecutor George Shelley.

Police saw 49-year-old Jason George Foster pulling a basket containing items from the shop.

He was arrested and claimed he was walking past the store window and saw it had been smashed. A screwdriver was found in his possession.

While he was in custody, police learned attempts had been made to force entry at the adjacent ASDA store. “There was significant damage to a door, and blood on it,” said Mr Shelley.

It then emerged that dash-cams had also been snatched from two company vans outside the nearby Iceland outlet. CCTV footage in both areas captured the suspect matching Foster’s description and wearing the same clothes in which he was arrested.

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Yet of his apprehension, Mr Shelley said of Foster: “He stated he was not a criminal. If he was going to rob somewhere, it would be somewhere better than ASDA.”

On May 30, Foster had twice shoplifted from the city’s Denton Street Co-op, snatching meat valued at £120. Six days later he stole washing products worth £68 from Foreways at Newlaithes Avenue.

He admitted five theft charges and two of burglary with intent to steal in court today (Thursday) when magistrates heard he had 77 previous convictions on his record for 196 offences.

Giving mitigation, lawyer Tariq Khawam said Foster, of Bannisdale Way, had led a 'troubled life'.

“He has been a heroin addict since he was 17,” said Mr Khawam.

Foster, he said, had been directed to steal because he owed a £200 drug debt to Merseyside 'gangsters'.

“I’m not requesting a pre-sentence report,” added the lawyer. “I suspect, given the record, sentence is likely to be a custodial one and he is quite understanding of that.”

Magistrates jailed Foster for a total of nine months, and ordered compensation to be paid to the Co-op and Foreways.

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