A ROMANIAN man has avoided being sent to prison despite travelling from Coventry to Swindon with an organised gang to steal high value items from supermarkets.

Adrian Vasile, 29, of Burnaby Road, Coventry, appeared before Swindon magistrates on Friday charged with shoplifting to the value of £1,137 from Asda in West Swindon.

The court heard how Vasile, who has lived in the UK for two years but has never legally worked, was spotted by vigilant security guards as he loitered in the alcohol aisle on Wednesday evening.

Nick Barr, prosecuting, said: “A member of security staff is watching the defendant on CCTV in the spirits aisle.

“He is seen to load open bags with numerous bottles of spirits – the bags are contained within a trolley.

“He appears to be picking the most expensive bottles.

“He then moves to the children’s clothing section and the bottles of alcohol are covered.

“Another male approaches and suddenly the defendant leaves the trolley and tries to exit the store where he is apprehended.”

The court heard that Vasile initially told the police that he had travelled to Swindon from Coventry by train to meet a friend and that he planned to use a Romanian bank card to pay for the items.

He said he received a phone call from his wife who told him the card would not work which is why he left the items.

However when he appeared in court on Friday, Vasile – who spoke through a Romanian interpreter - pleaded guilty to the charge of theft.

Philip Hall, defending, said: “He came in a car with two others, he was told to go into the shop and fill up the trolley with booze.

“In due course he would receive a share of the profits once the swag had been sold, he was even given a rudimentary cover story.

“He is a tool in all this being manipulated by others in his community aware of his weak economic situation.”

Despite his involvement with an organised shoplifting gang and a previous caution for shoplifting earlier this year, the probation officer told the court Vasile had only a 49 per cent chance of re-conviction in the next two years.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with a requirement to complete just 120 hours of unpaid work, reduced from 180 as a result of his guilty plea.

He must pay a victim surcharge of £60 and costs of £85. His unpaid work will be completed in Coventry.