A “menacing” thief snatched a pizza oven from a garden centre before raiding luxury handbags from Michael Kors at the Ashford Designer Outlet.

Addict Jamie Santer also looted handfuls of clothes from Next situated in the town’s County Square shopping centre - alongside a wheelbarrow.

In a bid to feed his heroin addiction, the 39-year-old swiped a £300 portable Ooni oven from Dobbies, at Ashford's Eureka Leisure Park.

Santer, who comes from the town, escaped with the device after dodging nearby police officers, before laying low and plotting his next crime.

The thief would soon spring up at the Designer Outlet then make off with two luxury handbags worth £1,200 from the Michael Kors shop.

Santer, who has 23 convictions for 48 offences, then swiped clothes from Next in the town centre, prompting a police probe leading to his arrest.

Prosecutor John Connor described how Santer “grabbed a large handful of clothing and left again without paying.”

Santer admitted the crime spree - conducted between July and October this year - during his first appearance at the Magistrates court.

Handing down a custodial term at Canterbury Crown Court earlier this week, Judge Rupert Lowe told Santer he “has to be stopped.”

He acknowledged Santer has unsuccessfully “tried to shake” an entrenched heroin addiction.

“And so you are a menace to society by going around stealing so you can steal street heroin to feel better,” he continued.

“When you go and help yourself to goods from shops, and go off and sell them, that causes great inconvenience to people, and upset.”

Representing Santer, James Burke said he was committed to addressing his heroin addiction.

Santer, of Cheddar Close, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft from a shop and admitted breaching a previous suspended sentence order after stealing a wheelbarrow in April.

He was jailed for 27 weeks and the 10 days he has spent on remand will automatically be deducted from the overall sentence.