A 51-year-old woman wearing pyjamas drove up to a house at night and stole two flower pots from a garden.

Tania Hearne stopped her car outside an address in Blake Close, Carshalton, on Monday August 6, at around 4.30am.

She crept up the resident’s driveway and picked up two flower pots before returning to her vehicle.

However, she had no idea the theft was captured on a resident’s CCTV system.

PCSO Sarah Lowe, of Wandle Valley Safer Neighbourhoods Team, identified Hearne from the CCTV images.

Hearne was arrested on August 24 at her home after the victim had made a statement on return from holiday.

Officers found lots of plant pots in Hearne’s garden - two of them matched the description of the ones stolen from Blake Close.

Hearne told police she had acted strangely because she had not been taking her medication.

Tania Hearne, of Tavern Close, Carshalton, appeared at Croydon Magistrates Court on September 4.

She received a conditional discharge for 18 months after pleading guilty to theft. 

This means if Hearne commits any other offence within this period, she is liable to punished for the first offence as well as for the subsequent conviction.

Hearne was also ordered to pay Crown Prosecution Service costs of £85.