A REGULAR customer left a cash and carry warehouse with £737 worth of cigarettes in a "well planned" theft.

But it was only five days later that a stock check at Batley's, on Drum Industrial Estate, near Chester-le-Street, revealed deficiencies in takings from the cigarette aisle.

Durham Crown Court heard that a trawl back through cctv footage revealed Kulwinder Sidhu and two accomplices stealing the cigarettes, on June 26 last year.

Stephanie Donington, prosecuting, said Sidhu and another man were seen loading cartons of cigarettes into two cardboard boxes.

One was placed into a trolley pushed by the third man, while Sidhu and his fellow 'customer' went through the till area and paid for their goods.

Mrs Donington said Sidhu later met up with the 'third' man in the store and put the other box back into his trolley.

He went though the till area, buying some other goods, but showed his valid receipt from the earlier purchase to avoid paying for the cigarettes.

The cashier waved him through and he left without paying for 16 cartons of cigarettes.

As he was recognised on the footage as a familiar customer, holding a store account, Sidhu was confronted on his next visit, three days later.

He apologised and paid the outstanding £737.

The court heard that he has a previous offence for theft, having been caught on cctv at Decades nightclub in Consett, taking money from behind the bar, in 2007.

Sidhu, 31, of Briardale, in Delves Lane, Consett, admitted the latest theft charge, and was ordered to perform 100-hours' unpaid work as part of a 12-month community supervision order.

Judge Christopher Prince told him: "This was a well planned and well executed theft."

He also ordered Sidhu to pay £722 prosecution costs.