A prolific thief who continued offending after receiving a suspended sentence for stealing Lego has been jailed for 28 weeks.

Stevenage magistrates heard that Colin Hemmings, of Grimstone Road in Little Wymondley, had stolen 50 pairs of boxer shorts and a suitcase – together worth £909.50 – from the Stevenage branch of TK Maxx on August 26.

The 47-year-old – who was ordered to undergo six months of drug dependency treatment when convicted of the Lego theft on August 10 – also admitted stealing alcohol and meat worth £258.80 from Lidl in Letchworth on September 6.

He furthermore pleaded guilty to stealing a Dyson vacuum cleaner worth £150 from Stevenage’s B&M Bargains store on July 20, and swiping a Karcher pressure washer worth £125 from Wilko in Letchworth two days later.

Hemmings had received an eight-week suspended jail term on August 10 after he admitted stealing Lego worth £419.94 from Toys R Us in Stevenage.

He was arrested at the Lidl store in Letchworth on September 6 by off-duty officer Det Sgt Mim Law, who was shopping when she spotted him acting suspiciously. Two other off-duty officers and members of the public assisted in the arrest.

Chairman of the bench Richard Herbert imposed five-week consecutive sentences for each of the four thefts, activating the eight-week suspended sentence imposed in August to make a 28-week jail term.

He also ordered Hemmings to pay compensation of £454.75 to TK Maxx, £75 to B&M Bargains and £62.50 to Wilko – a total of £592.25.

An alleged accomplice of Hemmings – Stephen Cox, 49, of Wilshere Crescent, Hitchin – has been remanded in custody to appear before Stevenage magistrates by video link on October 19.