Following an investigation by the Barnard Castle Neighbourhood Policing Team, three people appeared in court earlier this week.
Emmanuel Ciurar, 20, was charged with three thefts and brought before Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (January 7).
He pleaded guilty to all three charges and was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison. He was also ordered to pay compensation to the businesses.
Ciurar joins Marcel Rostas, Florica Covaci, and Gruti Lingurar, who were also charged with the same incidents last October.
Rostas, 37, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft from Iceland in Bishop Auckland and was fined £400.
Covaci, 35, was dealt with for two thefts from Iceland in Bishop Auckland and fined £120.
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And Lingurar pleaded guilty to two thefts from both Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland, driving without a licence and having no insurance.
The 30-year-old was fined £40 and disqualified from driving for six months.
Following sentencing, Robert Booth, of Barnard Castle Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Theft has a detrimental impact on our businesses and we will rigorously pursue anyone who tries to target our communities, even if that means extending our enquiries across borders.”