Terry John Lewis, 36, of Moss Bay Road, Workington was only identified months later via CCTV and immediately confessed.
He pleaded guilty at Croydon Magistrates Court to burgling Beeches Express Station, Gordon Road, Carshalton on June 19, last year.
Prosecutor Miss Jackie Hughes told the court: “A large number of cigarettes were discovered missing by the owner.
“He viewed the CCTV and saw the defendant in the station during opening hours go through the stockroom door and take the cigarettes.”
Lewis, who has fifty-one previous convictions, was on bail at the time of the offence and two days later received a community order.
He has even offended since moving to Cumbria when he was caught shoplifting, but insisted this had nothing to do with his addiction.
“That wasn't for drugs, my benefits hadn't come through,” he told the court. “I've had a long history of drug use and stole the cigarettes to fund the habit.
“I've moved up north, I've moved away and got my own place and I'm trying my hardest to stay out of trouble and since I've moved it's worked.
“I've been clean for seven months, I'm on a prescription of subutex and methadone.
“It's working. So far, so good and I'd appreciate it if you did not put me in prison.”
Lewis was placed on a new six-month community order, with a twenty day activity requirement and was ordered to pay £1200 compensation and an £85 victim surcharge.
“In terms of our guidelines you should really be going to prison,” magistrate Mr. Don McKerrow told him.
“You have moved, you are doing well on your drug rehabilitation requirement and we don't want to upset that.
“Happily you are continuing to get support and making progress, but if things go wrong it's going to be very difficult for a court to keep you out of prison.
“We're impressed by the progress you have made and that's why we're being lenient.”
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