Shoplifter hit store security guard with a plastic bottle

A SHOPLIFTER walked around a city centre convenience store, picked up items and hid them under her jacket before hitting the security guard that confronted her in the face with a bottle of laundry detergent, a court heard.

- ROB HARRIES Reporter

Leanne Rees, 37, already had 36 previous convictions, most of them for theft-related incidents, when she walked into Tesco Express in St Helen’s Road in Swansea last month.

Once inside she walked around and put food items, including ‘ready meals’ and a number of steaks, inside her jacket.

She also picked up a bottle of laundry detergent and made her way towards the exit.

Having spotted her trying to steal items, the store’s security guard approached Rees and accused her of leaving the store without paying.