A woman who threatened to stab a security guard while stealing from a supermarket in Brierley Hill has been jailed. Sharee McCarthy, 34, of Pheasant Street in Dudley, entered the store on Sandringham Way on September 12 last year and was immediately recognised by staff as a previous offender.
Incident Details
The security guard asked McCarthy to leave the premises, but she instead began taking items from the shelves and placing them into her rucksack. When the guard told her to put the items back, she replied: 'You don't know what I have on me, I'll stab you.'
Arrest and Sentencing
Fearing for his safety, the security guard backed away and reported the incident. Following an investigation by Dudley's Neighbourhood Crime Team, McCarthy was arrested on September 25. She pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to two years and three months in prison at Wolverhampton Crown Court on April 23.
Police Statement
PC Luke Johnson of Dudley's Neighbourhood Crime Team said: 'McCarthy not only chose to commit shop theft but, in an attempt to get away with her crime, threatened an innocent member of staff, making him fear for his safety while he was simply doing his job. No one should ever have to go to work and fear for their lives when all they're trying to do is their job.'
He added: 'This is why we'll always do everything in our power to find those responsible for shop thefts and retail crime and put them before the courts. I hope this sends a message to anyone who's thinking they can get away with threatening innocent workers with violence that we will act and you will be arrested for your crimes.'
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: 'A shop thief who threatened to stab a security guard in a bid to get away with stealing from a store has been jailed. We want to continue to encourage businesses to report incidents to us so we can put more offenders like McCarthy behind bars.'
