Career criminal with 229 convictions pinched £180 of clothing from Falkirk Next store

Even Sheriff Derek Livingston raised an eyebrow when he learned how many convictions Terry Thurling (40) had racked up in England.

"That’s some going,” he had to admit.

Thurling’s latest escapade saw him enter a clothing store – which he later said was an “easy target” – with an unknown set of tools in order to remove security tags from relatively expensive items of clothing.

His crime was foiled when staff heard him cutting at the tags while he has inside the changing rooms.

Thurling appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to stealing the items from Next, in Falkirk Central Retail Park, on February 12.

Rachel Hill, procurator fiscal depute, said: “It was 10am and the accused was seen to go into the changing room with a large amount of garments. Staff heard some sort of tool cutting something.

"The accused was then seen leaving the store with a very full bag. Police traced him in Newmarket Street and found three jackets, two pairs of jeans and some socks totalling £180 – there was full recovery.”

Sheriff Livingston said: “It sounds like it was planned – you don’t tend to take tools into clothing shops. I don’t think Next will be pleased he described it as an ‘easy target’.”

He placed Thurling, 7B Cornhill Crescent, Stirling, on a community payback order with the condition he completes 120 hours unpaid work within 12 months.