The theft of an $18 dog toy has ended in 20 days' jail for a Warrnambool woman awaiting a court case for drug trafficking.
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Simone Proctor, 40, of Menzies Street, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to shop steal and bail offences.
The court heard she was on bail for trafficking methamphetamine when she entered the retail store Pet Stock on Warrnambool's Raglan Parade on February 6 and stole a dog toy worth $18.
She was observed putting the toy down her pants and leaving the store without making an attempt to pay for the item.
A store manager contacted police and Proctor was arrested when she attended the police station later that day to sign in on bail.
She made full admissions to the offending but said she couldn't return the stolen item as she had given it to her dog.
Proctor's lawyer said the offending was an unsophisticated theft of an item with low monetary value.
But magistrate Mark Stratmann said "theft is theft".
"It undermined the shop owners," he said.
"She is also on bail for a serious offence and should know that she is under scrutiny."
The magistrate said Proctor had a significant criminal history that stemmed over 22 pages and included a number of dishonesty offences.
Proctor was jailed for 20 days with three days already served in custody on remand.
She will appear in court again on March 30 in relation to the charge of drug trafficking.
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