A POLISH Big Issue salesman who stole shop and office workers' digital devices has been jailed for eight months.

Northallerton Magistrates Court heard that Cipriam Ciocan walked into numerous businesses, including estate agents, in Thirsk and Northallerton with an accomplice and distracted staff before making off with high-value mobile phones and hand-held computers.

Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting, said the 20-year-old's theft spree began on August 30 last year when he stole an iPad worth £270 in Thirsk and a iPhone worth £500 in Northallerton.

The following day the pair entered an office in Sowerby Road, Thirsk and stole a Samsung Galaxy worth £200.

He also took an iPhone worth £200 from a shop in the town's Market Place on January 8 this year and asked for two further offences in January and February to be taken into account.

The court heard Ciocan's accomplice was in jail in France and that Ciocan, who admitted six charges of theft, had recently been arrested after returning from the continent.

He told the court: "It was a mistake, it happens. It was wrong."

Magistrate John Bacon said the thefts had involved a large degree of planning.

He said: "It is not unfair to say that you are a thoroughly dishonest individual.

"Despite having the opportunity to earn an honest living selling The Big Issue you chose to support yourself through theft.

"It was perpetrated against six individuals who lost valuable possessions."