A 39-year-old drug addict was jailed for nine months after he pleaded guilty to stealing meat and power tools.

Magistrates' Court heard from Crown counsel Larissa Burgess that between the dates of November 15 and November 21 Carlton Minors, of Warwick, stole a collection of power tools from S.A.L Ltd. and Masters Ltd. totalling more than $1,700.

On November 15 Minors was seen by the S.A.L. store manager in an unauthorised location in the store.

When questioned about his presence, Minors told the store manager that he was looking for someone.

Days later a skilsaw and a reciprocating saw were discovered missing.

Footage of a CCTV security camera showed Minors removing the saws from the store.

The manager told Police, who had Minors in custody for another matter. Police questioned him about the incident and he admitted to stealing the tools.

On another date, Minors was at Masters asking to see a DeWalt cordless drill. CCTV footage later showed Minors leaving the store with the drill without paying.

Minors, on a different occasion, entered S.A.L. inquiring about a router drill and a DeWalt drill. He then took the drills and hid them in the plumbing area, which he later retrieved.

He bought a package of nails to prove he made a purchase in the store and exited the store. Security camera again revealed him stealing the items.

The self-confessed methadone addict has previous convictions for similar matters and is currently serving three years probation for 15 counts of stealing.

He apologised to the court and asked Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner if he could attend drug court as he felt they would have a more hands-on approach with him.

In another matter, Minors was charged with stealing $205.18 worth of meat and fish. Around 8 p.m. on July 24, Minors was seen by employees stuffing 11 packages of codfish and two tenderloin steaks into his jacket.

Minors walked out of the store with the unpaid items and was then approached by the store manager and other employees.

He was escorted back into the store and searched in the store office, where the items were seized and Police where called.

Police arrested Minors and on the way to the Police station he complained of illness. He was taken to King Edward VII Memorial for treatment and then released into Police custody.

Mr. Warner sentenced him to nine months for each of the power tool thefts and three months for the food thefts to all run concurrently.