A number of people from Bolton have appeared in court over shoplifting in the build up to Christmas.

It emerged earlier this week that this is the most common crime against small businesses.

And earlier this year town centre shops complained of a rising wave of shoplifting.

The following people from Bolton have recently been in court for thefts.

Sean Warburton stole from four stores in the town in October and November.

The 36-year-old went into Home Bargains at Trinity Retail Park and helped himself to chargers and a gift set worth £39.

He also went to Home Bargains at the Burnden Retail Park where he took five gift sets.

And he entered a Boots store and stole £220 of electrical items and candles.

Warburton went to Boots on a separate occasion and stole razors and two toothbrushes worth £360.

The defendant, of Watersmead Close, Astley Bridge, admitted four counts of shoplifting at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court.

He was given a sentence of 16 weeks suspended for a year and was ordered to pay £100 of compensation to Boots.

Samantha Flatley carried out three thefts between October and December.

She first went to Home Bargains in Bolton and stole air freshener, a candle gift set and other items worth £19.87.

Later she entered the same store and stole coffee, gel and other items worth £26.46.

Flatley later went to another store and stole £10 of air freshener.

The 36-year-old admitted the offence at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court.

Flatley, of Ainsworth Lane, Tonge, was jailed for six weeks.

The reasons given were that she has a "flagrant disregard for people and their property".

Yusef Ali stole two Jack Daniels and two vodka bottles worth £136. from Sainsburys in Bolton in November.

The same moth he stole another three vodka bottles and four Jack Daniels worth £239.

Just two days later on November 23 he went into Morrisons in Bolton and took two Jack Daniels worth £56.

The 23-year-old admitted three thefts from a shop and an assault on a man during the same month, at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court.

Ali, of Beverley Road, Heaton, was sentenced for four months.

The reasons given were his "repeated thefts and assaults."