A SHOPLIFTER who made off with a £400 trolley of food from a Longfield supermarket was caught after returning to the same store.

Michael Scott Smith, 52, filled a trolley with groceries at the Station Road shop on November 28 before walking out without paying, lifting the whole thing into a 4x4 with a female accomplice’s help and driving off.

The empty trolley was later found abandoned near Longfield railway station.

The crime was captured on CCTV and Smith was recognised and confronted by a manager when he returned to the same supermarket on December 5 and packed £230 of meat joints into another trolley.

He left empty handed but his W-registration Daihatsu Terios 4x4 was placed on a list of known vehicles and spotted in Dartford on December 14.

He was quickly arrested and taken to North Kent Police Station where he admitted to the November 28 offence.

Smith pleaded guilty to one charge of shoplifting when appearing at Dartford Magistrates’ Court on Monday (January 14).

The London Road, West Kingsdown resident received a supervisory community order and was ordered to repay the supermarket chain £200 for its lost goods.

Longfield Neighbourhood Policing Team member PC Tony Quilter said: “This was the right result.

“We’re working hard to curb shoplifting in Longfield and this detection shows again the value of CCTV.”