A sneaky thief who stole cash from a gift shop and emptied a restaurant safe of takings and tips has promised never to steal again.

Car wash worker Ibram Atena, 24, broke down in tears before a court was told how she targeted the Pilgrims Shop in Canterbury and later raided a safe at the nearby Cosy Club.

In all she stole more than £1,200 but was spared a prison sentence by magistrates, who heard claims she had turned to crime to help her mum, who has cancer.

The court at Folkestone was told how in September last year the Romanian national had waited for the right moment to strike at the city centre gift shop.

Prosecutor Jeremy King said: “She went into the Pilgrims Shop in Burgate at 12.10pm, when the shop was open, and waited for staff to serve customers before sneaking into the stock room at the rear of the shop, where no unauthorised person is allowed.

“She took the float money from a tin, which had £300 cash in it, and CCTV showed her taking the money before leaving via the rear of the store.”

Seven months later, Atena would again wait until staff were distracted before stealing from the Cosy Club restaurant in St Margaret’s Street on April 7.

Mr King says security cameras caught her entering a back room restricted to staff access only at 3.15pm.

“She is seen looking through personal items, coats and bags left in the staff room, and crouched down by a safe out of the CCTV’s view,” the prosecutor said.

“The takings and the tips are taken, which amounted to £970.20.

“She waited for staff members to be busy before she stole from both businesses in Canterbury.”

Atena was later identified by CCTV images and arrested on April 11, but refused to answer questions in her police interview.

She was charged with two counts of burglary and pleaded guilty to both offences when she appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on June 22.

The court was told Atena, of Kemsing Gardens, Canterbury, had been given a caution in February for a separate burglary at another restaurant on October 9, last year.

Her solicitor, Gordon Crowe, told magistrates: “She's only been in this country a year and two months after arriving in April 2022, and she lives with her mother, who has cancer.

"They live in a bedsit together and she works at the Mercedes car wash and earns £340 a month, and the room is £120 a week.

"She carried out the burglaries to help her mother. There are no other family members here; her dad has died and her sister is in Romania looking after a younger sister.

"She's here today to face the consequences. She's extremely frightened while in court and very nervous.

“She broke down in tears before coming into court and she has told me she's not going to steal again."

Chairman of the bench Stephen Rogers told Atena the burglaries were calculated raids.

He added: “These were not spur of the moment; we have formed the view they were planned.

“The manner and style of the offences crosses the custody threshold, but can be dealt with in the community by way of a suspended sentence.”

Atena was jailed for four months but the sentence was suspended for a year.

She was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, attend 25 rehabilitation sessions, and pay £300 compensation to the Pilgrims Shop and £970 to Cosy Club.