A Devonshire man told Magistrates’ Court he stole two wallets from shoppers at the MarketPlace to support his heroin addiction.

Forty-two year-old Troy Woods, of Green Acre Road admitted he stole both women’s wallets while they were shopping on January 15 and January 29.

He stole Magdalene Oldfield’s wallet while she was shopping at the Church Street MarketPlace, prosecutor Susan Mulligan told the court.

After noticing her wallet was missing, Ms Oldfield had her husband cancel her credit card. He was later informed that the card had already been used to purchase six cartons of cigarettes, worth $545, from Matchbox in Washington Mall.

Subsequent reviews of the CCTV footage by police showed Woods taking the wallet and purchasing the cigarettes.

In the second incident, Woods snatched Lyn Miranda’s wallet out of her shopping cart. Woods ran out of the store but was immediately stopped by police, who were nearby.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo delayed sentencing pending a Social Inquiry Report, granting Woods $3000.

He will be sentenced on March 24.