A woman and her niece lined a bag with foil in order to evade security systems and steal from Marks & Spencer.
Fiona McAllister, 42, and Sinead Gorman, 21, stole pyjamas and cashmere jumpers worth £985 from the store at Handforth Dean.
They escaped electronic detectors at the exits but were stopped by guards in the car park.
The pair, both of Waverley Road, Moston, Manchester, pleaded guilty to shoplifting at Macclesfield magistrates’ court.
McAllister was jailed for four months.
Defending, Nnamdi Inegbu said McAllister had used crack cocaine and heroin for 12 years but was now trying to get over her addiction.
He said: “She hasn’t used drugs for four months and is trying to clean up her act.”
Mr Inegbu added: “She cooperated with police and knows what she has done is wrong.
“She stole because she is destitute but is aware the courts take a dim view of offences such as this and apologises.”
Mr Inegbu said Gorman, who is studying to be a hairdresser at college, said she was ‘an idiot’ to take part in the offence.
He said: “She said ‘I didn’t know what I was doing’ and was foolishly led by her aunt.
“She has not committed an offence since she was 15.”
Gorman was given a six-week curfew from 8pm-8am and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work over 12 months.
