A Bricket Wood man has been banned from every branch of Waterstones in the UK.
Peter Sahnow, 72, stole £1,100-worth of books from the branch on St Peter’s Street in St Albans in a year.
Judge Stephen Warner said: “It was systematic dishonesty.”
Sahnow appeared in St Albans crown court on Thursday, November 16 to plead guilty to three offences of theft.
The retired IT manager began selling his and his mother’s books after she went into a care home and he got into debt.
Prosecutor Karl Volz said: “When he had exhausted his supply and his mother’s he resorted to stealing books from Waterstones.
Between September 2015 and September last year, he walked into the shop and then walked out with the books.
He stole 40 books, which police recovered from his home on Hamilton Close after he was caught shoplifting in Waterstones in October 2016.
Carina Clare, defending, said Sanhow was: “extraordinarily remorseful and embarrassed.”
His wife of 43 years was aid to be disgusted with him for the thieving.
Judge Warner sentenced him to six months imprisonment, suspended for 21 months.
Sahnow will also have to complete a 15 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and pay £200 towards to the cost of the prosecution. He was also made the subject of a two year exclusion order, banning him from entering any Waterstones branch in the country.
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