A 38-year-old was picked up on a Skipton store’s security cameras loading a trolley with two televisions before walking out without paying, a court heard.

Gary Paul Hill was filmed waiting around the entrance of B&M Bargains in Broughton Road for the automatic doors to open so he could walk out with his loaded trolley, Skipton magistrates heard on Friday.

He had earlier been filmed selecting two Blaupunkt LED televisions with inbuilt DVD players – worth £129.99 each – and putting them into a trolley. The court heard that a stock check carried out by the store had come up with four unaccounted for television sets and it had received anonymous information implicating Hill.

He had been arrested after he had again visited the store a few days later and had been recognised by store staff who had called the police.

Hill, of Whinny Gill Road, Skipton, who admitted theft on December 7, had previous convictions for shop theft, but not for five years, the court was told.

In mitigation, Keith Blackwell said Hill had been on a downward spiral following the end of a relationship.

He had lost his job and his accommodation and his health had suffered, but he had now been provided with somewhere to live by Foundation Housing.

“He was short of money, Christmas was coming and he thought he’d help himself to a couple of televisions,” said Mr Blackwell.

“It was not a sophisticated crime and he regrets doing it.”

Hill was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to compensate the store to the value of the televisions, which had not been recovered.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victims surcharge of £15.