A supermarket cashier went on a £9,000 spending spree after stealing elderly customers’ credit cards while she served them at the checkout.

Jaswant Kaur, 24, of Hounslow Gardens, Hounslow, targeted seven elderly shoppers at Iceland in High Street, Whitton, between September 10 and October 28 last year.

She distracted them - the eldest being 82 years old - as they paid, causing them to leave the shop without their credit or debit cards.

Kaur pleaded guilty at Kingston Crown Court to eight counts of theft, one of handling stolen goods and six fraud charges on March 8. A ninth theft charge, which she denied, was ordered to lie on her file.

Officer in the case, PC Donna Somjen, of Whitton Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), said: “We started noticing a pattern after three reports from members of the public saying they had lost their debit or credit cards having last used them cards in Iceland.

“We spoke to Iceland head office - providing them with the stolen card numbers - and they confirmed that it was the same cashier who served all the victims.”

Police arrested Kaur on October 28 at the Whitton store.

They found someone else’s card in her purse, £800 cash and another stolen card hidden in her till.

Various items bought using the stolen cards were discovered and seized during the subsequent search of Kaur’s home.

Sergeant Lesley Dutton, of Whitton SNT, said: “I am proud of the professionalism and dedication of PC Somjen, whose tireless efforts led to the arrest, charge and conviction of Jaswant Kaur.

“Whilst this has been a complex and difficult investigation, it has been tremendously successful and I hope this will be of some comfort to the many victims.”

Kaur was bailed to appear at Kingston Crown Court in April for sentencing.