A serial thief who was handed a suspended prison sentence by magistrates for stealing alcohol, food and gifts from Aberystwyth shops nine times in less than a month has been jailed after missing probation appointments.

Danielle Jones, of Aberdeuddwr, Rhydlewis, appeared before Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on 12 February.

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty at a hearing in November to nine separate charges of theft from Aberystwyth shops.

Jones stole a bottle of whiskey worth £35 from the Colliseum at Ceredigion Museum on 15 September.

The following day, on 16 September, Jones again returned to the museum to steal another bottle of whiskey.

On the same day, Jones also stole bottles of cider from the Spar store in Aberystwyth as well as alcohol and other items from Aberystwyth’s Tesco store.

On 18 September, Jones stole a bottle of whiskey from the Colliseum for a third time.

Jones also admitted stealing three gift sets worth £84 from the Boots store on Terrace Road on 27 September.

She returned to the Boots store on 9 October, and this time stole seven gift sets worth £128.

On 13 October Jones hit the Colliseum once more, stealing £31 worth of items from the gift shop.

Jones also stole a trolley full of groceries worth £400 from Morrisons supermarket in Aberystwyth on 11 November.

Magistrates at the time said that the offences “are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified” due to the “number and frequency of offences” and Jones’ “previous convictions for similar offending.”

Magistrates initially handed Jones an eight week prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

At the hearing on 22 November, Jones admitted breaching the suspended sentence order imposed by magistrates by failing to attend planned probation appointments on 22 and 30 January.

Magistrates activated the suspended sentence and jailed Jones for eight weeks.