A woman who stole on multiple occasions has tearfully thanked the Wollongong magistrate who handed down a sentence that did not involve prison time.
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Nowra resident Pekeri Knock, 27, was sentenced at Wollongong Local Court after pleading guilty to two charges of shoplifting, two charges of larceny, entering inclosed lands without permission, and drug possession.
On one occasion, Knock entered a changing room in the clothing store Ghanda in Wollongong Central with several items.
This change room had a door, kept closed, that led to a staff room.
When a worker noticed the staff room door was open, her colleague spoke to Knock and offered to take any items she did not want, and Knock handed back some clothing.
The employee noticed Knock had her and her colleague's belongings in her possession, including a store iPad, a black bumbag with cash and other personal items, and another bag with store clothing and personal belongings.
The worker also saw the staff room had been rummaged through.
Security was called and they detained Knock, who handed back all the items.
When police arrived she admitted she intended to steal them.
Then in March this year, Knock stole a four-pack of Wild Turkey and cola from Liquorland in Wollongong Central.
Two months later police saw Knock leave a residential boarding house in Port Kembla known for drug activity, so they stopped and searched her.
In her bag they found 0.29 grams of methamphetamine, to which Knock replied: "If I'd have known that was in there I would have used it".
Last month, Knock stole a handbag from City Diggers when its owner left the pokies to get a drink.
Police reviewed CCTV footage and the following day stopped Knock in Market Street.
She told them the bag was at her boyfriend's Kembla Street home, but it was not recovered.
In court on Tuesday, Magistrate Claire Girotto said Knock's offending was "not the most serious" but she did have "a very nasty matter" on her record.
Magistrate Girotto also noted Knock was on bail for other alleged offending at the time of two of her crimes.
But giving her a discount for her guilty pleas and taking into account the time she had already spent in custody, Magistrate Girotto sentenced Knock to an intensive corrections order of five months with supervision and a 15-month community corrections order.
Knock must also engage with a support service.
Upon learning she was to be released from custody that day, Knock became emotional.
"I'm so thankful and grateful, thank you so much," she said.
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