A woman who stole alcohol and handbags worth more than £1,600 from four shops - including Tesco stores in March and Wisbech - has been jailed.

Lorraine Williams, 48, stole 16 bottles of spirits worth £540 from Tesco in Hostmoor Avenue, March, on Sunday January 17.

She was captured on CCTV using the de-tagging device to remove security tags from the alcohol.

The next day, the 48-year-old targeted Tesco Extra in Cromwell Road, Wisbech, and stole a trolley full of spirits amounting to £180.

Williams was arrested at the Tesco Extra store at Serpentine Green, Hampton, on Monday (January 18 ) after police received reports of shoplifting.

She was questioned by store security after she attempted to leave the shop with a trolley containing a blanket concealing alcohol and household items worth £720.

Williams had entered the store, headed straight to the homeware section and selected a blanket and other items before moving on to the spirits isle and placing five bottles of Smirnoff vodka and two bottles of wine in her trolley.

Covering all the items up with the blanket, Williams then exited the store without making any attempt to pay, however she was stopped by the eagle-eyed security guard.

Police were called to arrest Williams who was found with a ‘de-tagging’ device concealed within her bra.

Williams, of Crowland Road in Eye, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (January 19) where she admitted three charges of theft - including stealing a Ted Baker handbag worth £180 from John Lewis in Cambridge on October 3 last year.

She was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison.