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A WOMAN who cut the tags off products in a Hereford shop has landed herself in court.

Rebecca Smith, 26, had a pair of scissors to remove tags from items at Boots in Hereford High Town.

But she was caught in the act when staff spotted her on CCTV footage on June 18.

Police arrested her and found one charging bank stolen from the shop. Staff said she had been seen cutting tags off two further electrical items, but these were not found on her when she was searched.

Smith pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a shop.

Prosecuting solicitor Thomas Wickstead told Hereford Magistrates' Court earlier this month: "This was unsophisticated, low-level shoplifting.

"Mr Thomas, a member of staff at Boots in Hereford, sees her taking three electrical items from shelves and cutting security tags with scissors."

He added that Smith had previous shoplifting convictions from 2019 and 2023.

Chris Read, mitigating for Smith, said that she struggles with drug addiction and has been engaging with Turning Point's rehabilitation services.

Around the time of the theft, Smith had missed several Turning Point appointments and had gone back to using street drugs. She has since been receiving further treatment.

Smith, of no fixed abode, is a full-time carer for her partner, who was said to suffer from "major problems after being the victim of a violent attack".

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Magistrates handed Smith a conditional discharge, saying that "no action" would be taken to sentence her.

"The bench are encouraged to hear of your engagement with Turning Point," said one magistrate, ordering Smith to pay a fine of £90, a £32 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.

She was not ordered to pay compensation as Boots was unable to provide exact details of the products stolen and their value.