A WOMAN walked into a store at 9am, took two bottles of spirits and a bag to put them in and left without paying.

Blackburn magistrates heard Rebecca Cawtherley was chased from the store but managed to give security the slip.

During the chase she dropped her mobile phone which enabled police to identify her.

Cawtherley, 33, of Portal Grove, Burnley, pleaded guilty to stealing spirits worth £48 from Tesco. She was fined £80 with £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

Nicola Mills, prosecuting, said Cawtherley had put two bottles of spirits in a Bag for Life and set off the security alarms as she left without paying.

“She made off when she was chased by a security guard  but as she did so she dropped her phone,” said Miss Mills. “The guard recovered the phone which helped to identify her.”