Hamilton store because she liked it.

Roydell Stovell of Angle Street, Hamilton, pleaded guilty to taking the toy worth $29.95 on October 7 from Bananas on Front Street.

Store manager Edward Spencer told Police he saw the defendant in the street holding a plush monkey puppet without a store bag.

He said the monkey was only sold at his shop but there had been no recent sales of the toy.

When Spencer approached the defendant, she told him she found the monkey on the floor and would have paid for it but only had $6.

"She said she saw it and took it because she liked it,'' Sgt. Kirby said.

Stovell apologised to the court for her actions.

Acting Senior Magistrate the Wor. Charles-Etta Simmons asked Stovell what she needed the monkey for.

"I could understand if you were hungry but what could a monkey do for you?'' she asked.

Ms Simmons set bail at $300 and adjourned the case for sentencing.