A prolific thief could face a lengthy spell behind bars after stealing health and beauty products worth £9,000 in a month-long shoplifting spree.

Aurel-Robertino Marin targeted a multitude of Boots stores across the country by filling bags with hundreds of pounds of expensive goods and walking out.

But the 50-year-old’s exploits came unstuck when the Dover Victim Based Crime team arrested him in the town after he stole £180 of items from the Biggin Street shop on August 29.

He was later charged with a total of nine counts of shoplifting and was brought before magistrates in Margate the next day where he pleaded guilty to all offences.

The court heard Marin’s thieving spree started on August 4, whereby he and accomplices went out almost daily to loot stores, until he was caught in the act in Kent.

Magistrates heard he took £711.87 of goods from Boots in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, on August 4 and, on August 7, travelled to Boots in Tooting, London, where he snatched £700 of items.

His shoplifting spree continued the next day when he went to the County Oak Retail Park in Crawley and swiped £844.15 of items from the health and beauty retailer.

Magistrates were told Marin was at it again the next day when he managed to shoplift a staggering £1,089.10 from the branch in Biggleswade Shopping Centre, Bedfordshire.

But not stopping there, on August 10 he went to the Ravenside Retail & Leisure Park in Bexhill-on-Sea and took £1,300 worth of goods.

Then on August 11, the Romanian national entered Boots in High Road, London, and swiped £785.73 of beauty products.

On August 13, he entered Winchester’s High Street store where a staggering £2,846.51 of items were stolen.

His next target was a branch in Rayleigh High Street on August 15, when £629.56 of products were swiped and then on August 29, he travelled to the Dover branch and took £180 of goods.

In total Marin stole £9,086.92 of products during his spree, but the court also heard his accomplices had not yet been picked up or charged by police.

Prosecutor Julie Farbrace said: “He would enter the store with two others and select items which were health and beauty products and leave the store without any attempt to pay.

“Over £9,000 of goods were stolen, but not from the same store and there was a degree of planning and organisation.”

Gordon Crowe, defending, said when he spoke to his client in the cells he showed remorse for his actions and said he was shocked at the value of what had been stolen.

He added: “He has three children and a wife in Bucharest and had no work forthcoming, so went out and stole and Dover was the last theft.

“He has no benefits either and has no previous convictions and has been in this country three times in the last five years.”

Magistrates told Marin the offences were so serious they had to send the case to Canterbury Crown Court for sentencing as their powers were insufficient.

Marin was remanded in custody and will be sentenced over the matter on a date to be fixed.