Returning to the scene of the crime proved to be a mistake for a Southampton man with a habit of shoplifting.

And in Magistrates' Court Sean Mallory, of Rose Hill, was given a one-month jail term after pleading guilty to stealing four bottles of vodka.

The court heard how, on the afternoon of August 21, a member of staff spotted Mallory at the MarketPlace A1 store in Paget picking up several bottles of vodka from the liquor shelf. He then marched out of the store without paying.

But just ten minutes later Mallory returned to the store -- and this time staff were ready for him.

The 31-year-old painter was quizzed by a store manager and confessed to the crime.

Crown counsel Lesley Basden pointed out that Mallory had been convicted of similar crimes in recent months and had just started a nine-month prison term after two convictions for theft earlier this week.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis sentenced Mallory to a one-month jail term, to run consecutively to his current sentence.

Another thief ended up in court last week after eagle-eyed bike-hire staff spotted him riding a stolen bike.

Tyrone Fubler, 19, was arrested by Police shortly after being forced to abandon the rental cycle, which had been stolen from Long Bay Beach carpark in Warwick on July 5.

A week later Fubler was spotted riding the bike in Sandys Parish by staff from Wheels, the company that owned the vehicle.

Although he abandoned the bike and fled, Fubler, a painter from North Shore Road, Pembroke, was later arrested after Police discovered his fingerprints on the vehicle.

Sentencing was adjourned until October 15 for a social inquiry report to be prepared.