Raiders snatched nearly £900 of medication from Derbyshire Home Bargains

Niculae Dorobantu, 51, acted as “lookout” during the caper - posing as a shopper with a basket while directing his partner in crime to viable aisles.

Prosecutor Becky Allsop told Chesterfield Magistrates Court Dorobantu and his accomplice were captured entering the Clay Cross store on CCTV on August 19.

She said: “One was pushing a trolley and this defendant had a basket - it’s clear he was acting as lookout. He was regularly communicating with the person with the trolley.

“He was standing at the end of the aisles communicating which aisles the person with the trolley should go to.”

Ms Allsop said footage showed a male “arm-sweeping from the shelves”.

She added: “Items taken were predominantly medication, Calpol and the like.

“The defendant put his basket down, left the store and went back to the entrance where his accomplice exited through electric doors.

“The property was not recovered and both men were arrested in Long Eaton by police on August 30.”

The court heard Dorobantu had six previous shop theft convictions.

Dorobantu, of Radford Road, Coventry, admitted theft.

A magistrate told him: “Thee matters are quite serious – they required planning.”

He was bailed on condition not to enter any Home Bargains store in the UK until October 3 for a pre-sentence report.

His abetter was not present in court and it is not clear how he has been dealt with.