Chantelle Carrington accused of stealing from Coles, Myer at Roselands Centro

Police say a woman gave them a unique explanation when she was asked why she allegedly stole hundreds of dollars worth of items from a Sydney department store.

Chantelle Carrington allegedly stole over fifty thousand dollars worth of luxury designer items from a shop at Sydney International Airport. Picture: Tom Parrish

A woman told police she “wasn’t conscious” of allegedly stealing more than $500 worth of items from a department store as she was suffering from a break-up with her partner after police uncovered a stash of electronics and 1.3g of methamphetamine, court documents say..

Chantelle Carrington appeared at Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday for the charges of possessing prohibited drugs and two counts of larceny after she allegedly stole $200 worth of groceries from Coles and $596 worth of items from Myers at Roselands Centro on March 25.

She pleaded not guilty to all three charges during a previous court appearance.

Police allege Carrington roamed a Coles store and was seen grabbing “multiple items ranging from food, living essentials and cosmetics” before she made a payment at self-check while holding a “visibly full” bag and left the building.

The 39-year-old dumped her bags in her car before heading to Myer were she was allegedly caught “taking items out of the box and concealing them inside a plastic bag”, police facts state.

“Carrington was seen destroying the antitheft device and disposing of it on the floor … (and) taking empty boxes to a corner and concealing it from the view of the public,” police allege.

Chantelle Carrington (right) is accused of stealing from a designer store at Sydney Airport. Picture: Tom Parrish

Two loss prevention managers from Myer stopped Carrington in the carpark and inspected two shopping bag and allegedly found 13 items worth $596.95, including general appliances, candles, cleaning products and personal goods.

Once police arrived at the department store, Carrington said she “briefly left the store to get her bank card from her car”.

“She claimed she was not conscious of carrying items belonging to Myer when she was walking to her car, due to a recent break up in relationship with her partner,” the facts state.

Police searched her vehicle and found four Coles shopping bags filled with more than the 16 items recorded on a printed receipt.

When questioned by police, court documents state that Carrington said she bought the items the day before, then changed her response to “my mum bought it and put it in my car yesterday” which she further changed to ‘I shopped with my mum yesterday and bought it”.

Ms Carrington’s mum is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Chantelle Carrington allegedly stole over fifty thousand dollars worth of luxury designer items from a shop at Sydney International Airport. Picture: Tom Parrish

She was arrested after police searched her handbag and found a small resealable bag with 1.3g of methamphetamine which police say she claimed she found “on the ground near her house and kept it for the purpose of disposal”.

When representing herself at court, she requested for a sentencing assessment report and for her matter to be dealt with at Downing Centre Local Court in July for similar larceny matters.

The 39-year-old has also been charged with larceny by clerks or servants for a separate matter where she allegedly stole more than $50,000 worth of luxury designer items from a jewellery store at Sydney Airport on January 9.

Police later searched a Kingsgrove home and allegedly found four bracelets, three pens, two lighters, two bracelet keys, a pair of earrings, a wallet, a candle, a light and a men’s pendants – worth $50,225.

Investigators also seized a Sydney Airport visitor pass, an Australian passport and two electronic devices which will be subject to forensic examination and further investigation.

Both her matters were adjourned to July 4 at Downing Centre Local Court for sentencing.