AN ABERYSTWYTH man who removed fillet steaks from their packaging and put them in his pockets before walking out of a shop has been fined.

Steffan Rhys Owen of 13 Corporation Street was caught after staff at the Tesco Express store on North Parade noticed that fillet steak packaging had been found empty “a number of times” for “several weeks”.

When staff noticed another packet empty during stock-checks on 19 June, managers reviewed the CCTV footage, Aberystwyth Magistrates Court heard.

Unemployed Owen, 55, was found on CCTV to have removed the steaks at around 8.20pm on 17 June from the packaging before slipping them in his coat pocket. Owen admitted the offence when confronted by police.

When asked by police what he did with the £11.20 steaks, he told them he “fried them up and ate them”.

Representing himself at the hearing, Owen said he was “very sorry” and “should have known better”.

Magistrates fined Owen £40 for the theft of the steaks. He must to pay £85 costs, a victim surcharge of £30 and compensation of £11.20.