Falkirk serial shoplifter pinched £1700 of alcohol and electrical goods

Everything from gin, champagne and whisky to digital televisions flew off the shelves and into the possession of a sneaky shoplifter who was stealing to supposedly pay off debts.
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Diane Graham (32), who reportedly has autism, supposedly fell into debt with the wrong crowd and, as a result, she was told to go and steal items for them from a variety of shops.

On one occasion she stole over 20 bottles of alcohol in one visit and on another theft spree she managed to make off with two television sets.

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Graham, 42 Hawley Road, Falkirk, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pled guilty to a number of thefts committed between January and July this year, including stealing a variety of perfume from the Howgate Shopping Centre on January 23, some alcohol from Grangemouth Asda on February 15 and televisions from Tesco in Colliery Road, Redding on February 18.

Graham stole alcohol from Asda in GrangemouthGraham stole alcohol from Asda in Grangemouth
Graham stole alcohol from Asda in Grangemouth

Heather Galbraith, procurator fiscal depute, said: “The accused bought a few items, but she left the store with bottles which had not been paid for. She was stopped, however, she walked away.

“CCTV was reviewed and it showed her placing eight bottles of champagne and whisky in a bag.”

That haul, from Tesco, amounted to £250 of goods with no recovery.

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Graham returned to Tesco and made off with an even bigger haul of booze totalling £887.90.

Further thieving trips to various shops saw her pinch six bottles of whisky worth 198.25 and two televisions worth a total of £298.

Defence solicitor Stephen Biggam said: “She’s very recognisable to local shop staff and local police. She has autism and developed dependency on heroin, running up debts.

“She was asked to do certain things to pay off those debts.”

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Mr Biggam said no one is looking for Graham, who seemed to have a problem staying awake in the court, now and no one has asked her to steal any more items for them.

Sheriff Derek Hamilton said: “You stole £1700 of goods, many of which were not recovered and that is a significant matter.”

The case was adjourned until October 22 for a criminal justice social work report and to assess Graham’s suitability for a potential restriction of liberty order.

“I want you to know custody is not off the table,” added Sheriff Hamilton.

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Restriction of Liberty Orders were first rolled out as a community disposal across Scotland back in 2002, available to the High Court and Sheriff Courts.

ROLOs, as they have become known, require an offender to be restricted to a specified place for a maximum period of 12 hours per day up to a maximum of 12 months and/or from a specified place or places for 24 hours per day for up to 12 months.

The offender must consent to the order, and the court must find out relevant information about the places involved, and the attitudes of people living there. ROLOs are unique in law because the offender’s compliance with the order is monitored by electronic monitoring equipment.