A BRAZEN thief stole items from a Westcliff convenience store using a young child as a distraction.

The shoplifter entered Polish convenience store Belweder accompanied by a young girl who looked to be around the age of five.

He picked up one item carrying it in his arms before he began loading his jacket with £15 jars of coffee.

The apparent caffeine addict has been into the store before.

Shop owner Marcin Wyciszkiewicz, 34, revealed the thief had stolen from his independently-run store repeatedly, stating he has been picked up on their CCTV on numerous occasions putting items inside his jacket before paying for something of low value.

On this particular occasion, the thief who can be seen in footage holding onto one item - which he may have been planning to pay for - quickly decided to put the item he was going to pay for back, but continued to steal the hidden goods while noticing the cashier’s back was turned.

Marcin said: “I only run a small shop.

“It is not a big supermarket and these thieves are affecting my business.

“If it was a one-off, I could cope with that, but it is almost every day and it is getting too much.

“If I notice someone has bought £20 worth of shopping and stolen a chocolate bar at the till, I may turn a blind eye to it, but not this.

“This man comes in and steals regularly.

“Usually he will buy some shopping and steal, but this time he walked straight out with expensive coffee.

“He stole all in front of his young child which is not right, but I believe he came in with her as a distraction.

“Some have said that maybe he is hungry and trying to feed his kid with no money, if that is the case, then why steal coffee? Why not steal bread or proper food? If he was in that much need and asked me for help, I would help.”

* The Echo cannot publish the footage due to it identifying the child.