A man who stole £230 of meat and flowers from a Tolworth store has been given a community order.

David Parsons, entered the shop in Tolworth about 5.30pm on Tuesday, February 26, and took the goods, but was caught on CCTV.

During a routine patrol by the safer neighbourhood team (SNT), staff told them of the theft and the CCTV footage led them to Parsons' home in Browns Road, Surbiton, where he was arrested on February 29.

He appeared at Kingston Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to theft and was given a community order with a three-month curfew of 6am and 6pm.

Sergeant Lara Humphrey of Kingston's Alexander SNT said: "This is an excellent example of community support officers knowing their community well enough to identify their criminals.

"Without PCSO Azevedo's ward knowledge this thief would have got away with a large amount of produce from the store without paying for it."