An Adelaide woman who admitted stealing cars, jewellery, cash and other items from deceased estates has been jailed for more than five years.

Alana Marie Bartels pleaded guilty to a number of counts of abuse of public office in relation to her work as an estate manager with the Public Trustee.

In the District Court on Tuesday, Judge Geraldine Davison described the offending as calculated and premeditated and said Bartels was motivated by greed.

"You exploited those you were there to assist," the judge told the 38-year-old.

Bartels sobbed as the sentence was imposed with Judge Davison taking into account her apology to the victims, her contrition along with her ice addiction and the years of physical and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her former partner.

But the judge said the offending was just too serious to impose a suspended sentence or to allow home detention.

In one case, Bartels took and used a Mazda sedan from an estate and drove it as her own and in another stole a disabled parking permit to use when she was late for work.

Judge Davison imposed a head sentence of five years, six months and one week, and a non-parole period of two years and six months.

She also ordered Bartels to pay restitution in the amount of $24,681, taking into account the $5000 she had already returned.