An “incorrigible” thief was caught red-handed perusing the back shelves of an Aberdeen shop after loading up a carrier bag with lager, rum and gin.
Leanne Fraser stole the booze, worth £168, from L&A Stores on Summerhill Court earlier this year.
She was challenged by a staff member who had heard bottles clinking from her direction and saw her lurking in a stockroom.
The 41-year-old’s case was heard at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday, where she admitted the theft through her solicitor Lynne Bentley.
Fiscal depute Susan Love said staff had been keeping a close eye on Fraser from the moment she walked into the shop at 5.30pm on Saturday, May 30.
“An employee within the store saw Fraser and that she was in possession of a Tesco carrier bag that was empty,” she said.
“They saw her select some items from an open display and kept a close eye on her at this time.”
After hearing the clinking of glasses, the shop worker found Fraser standing in the stockroom with two four-packs of Stella Artois lager in her bag.
The pair began to “struggle” over the goods but were soon interrupted.
Ms Love said: “During this, a male ran over and shouted: ‘That’s my bag’.
“He took possession of it and the left the shop via the main entrance.
“At the same time, the employee saw glass bottles in the top of the Tesco bag.
“There had been no attempt to pay for this.”
After carrying out a stock check, it was discovered that Fraser had also nabbed three bottles each of Captain Morgan’s rum and Gordon’s gin.
Mrs Bentley explained that the shop stockroom had been left open accidentally, describing the theft as of “an opportunistic nature.”
Sheriff Ian Duguid QC called Fraser, of Portal Crescent, an “incorrigible shoplifter” and ordered her to pay £140 compensation to the shop’s owner.