Habitual thief cut and run with purse from barbers

A serial shoplifter and drug addict was jailed for 16-and-a-half months for her thieving ways which saw her steal a cashbox from a Strathcarron Hospice charity shop.

Kelly Newman (37) committed that theft when she was doing her community service at Falkirk branch of the hospice in Burnbank Road and, because of her dishonesty, Strathcarron no longer allows offenders to do their unpaid hours at its shops.

Newman, 30 Brooke Street, Grangemouth, also pinched a purse from a barber shop.

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Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Newman previously pled guilty to the thefts she committed at the hospice shop on June 1 last year and Brothers Barbers, High Street, Falkirk on February 27 this year.

Procurator fiscal depute Craig Wainwright said: “The witness noticed the cash box was missing and immediately asked to look in the bags of each person within the shop. At this stage the accused refused to have her bag searched and went to leave.

“The cash box fell out of a black bin bag she had in her possession and she said it was none of the their business. The cash box contained £110 and that was fully recovered.”

As far as the purse theft was concerned, Newman and a male entered the barbers at 3.45pm and left after a few moments, stating they could not be bothered waiting.

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Mr Wainwright said: “The complainer noticed her purse was missing and CCTV footage of the incident was viewed.”

Newman was under the influence of an unknown substance when police caught up with her and £177.92 was in the purse, which had contained £200.

Sentencing Newman to prison, Sheriff Derek Livingston said: “I have absolutely no alternative here but to impose a custodial sentence – your behaviour has been absolutely appalling. The hospice will not now take people who are doing a community payback order and that’s your doing.”