A serial thief has been banned from wearing wigs in shops as she was jailed after a shoplifting spree.

Rachael Cole, 44, stole goods worth £964 from shops in Hook and Liphook in Hampshire between November 10 and December 1 and this included seven bags of dog food from a Sainsbury's . Police said she "brazenly" committed her crimes and made "a poor attempt at disguising herself with a wig".

She appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on December 5 where she admitted four counts of theft. She was handed a 36 week prison sentence, inclusive of an activated suspended sentence order, alongside a two year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

Cole has also been banned from every Sainsbury’s and Tesco store in the UK, as well as the B&M store in Bordon.

A Hampshire Constabulary statement read: "Cole, of Warren Close in Whitehill, was charged with stealing £964 worth of goods from shops in Hook and Liphook between 10 November and 1 December, and on one occasion wore a wig to disguise herself as she pinched seven bags of dog food from Sainsbury’s in Liphook.

"As part of her CBO, Cole has now been banned from wearing a wig or hair piece, or any face covering that conceals her appearance when entering a shop.

"She has also been banned from every Sainsbury’s and Tesco store in the UK, as well as the B&M store in Bordon.

"The CBO enforces a number of additional conditions on Cole, including ordering her to place any items for purchase in a basket or trolley, and nowhere else, until they are paid for when she enters a shop.

"She must also present proof of having the means to pay for goods if requested by a business, the police or street wardens when entering a retail premises in Hampshire and Surrey, and equally must present a receipt as proof of payment if requested.

"If asked to leave a shop in Hampshire or Surrey, she must do so immediately without the use of aggressive or abusive language and must not return to the same shop the same day."

East Hampshire Inspector Matt Wake said: “Cole repeatedly and brazenly steals from local businesses, even going as far as making a poor attempt at disguising herself with a wig to try and deceive police and shop owners.

“Once she’s served her prison sentence, she will face a number of very strict conditions that prohibit her behaviour. If she fails to comply, she will be arrested and brought before the courts once more.

“Where shoplifting is reported to us, we make every effort to identify and arrest offenders, and use other tactics such as applying for CBOs to limit re-offending.

“There can be a number of reasons why someone might repeatedly steal – it varies from individual to individual, but it can often be driven by addiction issues. Police work closely with local services who can provide support to those with addictions.

“We want the community to keep reporting incidents of anti-social behaviour and business crime in East Hampshire to police, so we can continue to work with partners to address these behaviours, and take appropriate action against any criminal offences.”