Ashleigh Bennett and Natasha Valentine convicted in Bathurst Local Court for three counts of shoplifting

Ashleigh Bennett, 20, of Adina Crescent, Orange, and Natasha Valentine, 20, of Orchard Grove Road, Orange, were absent in Bathurst Local Court on November 2 when they were each sentenced for three counts of shoplifting.

According to court documents, Bennett and Valentine caught a bus from Orange to Bathurst on April 21 this year and arrived at 10am.

CCTV footage captured the pair - who both had prams - entering Best and Less in Bathurst about 12pm.

The women were seen taking things from shelves and hiding them in the prams, before Valentine left the store, without making a purchase, through the main entrance at 12.13pm.

At the same time, Bennett appeared on video footage to pay for one item that came to a cost of 0.98 cents.

The court was told Valentine and Bennett were then seen entering Kmart Bathurst at 12.26pm, where they placed items into large fabric shopping bags.

Bennett walked through the self-serve checkout and bought one black bra and a black singlet, as Valentine was captured on video footage leaving the store at 1.02pm without making a purchase and set a store alarm off.

The court heard the large fabric bags - which were held in the prams - appeared to be significantly more full upon exit of the store.

Three minutes later, Bennett and Valentine went to Big W in Bathurst where they walked in separate directions before Valentine was stopped by door staff at 1.20pm and partially searched.

The Big W employee removed several items they believed to be stolen and stopped Valentine from leaving. Staff called security and police, who attended a short time later.

Police said they saw Valentine standing near the store's entrance holding several "very full, large" fabric shopping bags.

Police introduced themselves and spoke with Valentine about why she was stopped from leaving the store.

"I don't keep receipts, even if I do, my son rips them up. I got a receipt in Best and Less and I threw that out not thinking. I'm just waiting on my sister-in-law to come out," she said.

Police confirmed Valentine's identification and informed her that because they believed she had stolen items, they intended to search her.

During the inspection of a yellow/beige bag, police said they found items from Best and Less, Big W and Kmart with no receipts.

"I'm just holding my sister-in-law's bags," Valentine said to police.

"I did go into Kmart earlier before and she [sister-in-law] might have the receipt."

A blue bag was then searched which had a large number of items stolen from the various stores.

Valentine was arrested as a search of a third bag found property believed to be stolen from Kmart and Best and Less.

Police said they asked Valentine why she and Bennett would travel from Orange to Bathurst to 'shop' at stores Orange had available.

"She [Bennett] come here to give her [name] a day with [relative]," Valentine said.

Once outside on Howick Street, police said they saw Bennett approach Valentine.

"What of this stuff is yours?" Police asked Bennett.

"Some jeans and boys stuff," Bennett replied.

Police returned a sporting goods item Valentine had in a bag with a receipt and Bennett said "you better hand that back cause I paid for that one".

Police returned to Bathurst Police Station where they documented, photographed and recorded the stolen property which came to a total of approximately $700.

Police said they got CCTV footage of the events which clearly showed both Valentine and Bennett had committed shoplifting offenses and worked in collaboration together by using their prams to hide the stolen items.

Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis found the charges against Bennett and Valentine proven and fined them each $1,500.

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