A STORE manager locked a drunken would-be shoplifter into a Wisbech health food store until police arrived to arrest her. And when officers looked into the woman s carrier bag, they found three bags of nuts taken from the Julian Graves store --- and near

A STORE manager locked a drunken would-be shoplifter into a Wisbech health food store until police arrived to arrest her.

And when officers looked into the woman's carrier bag, they found three bags of nuts taken from the Julian Graves' store --- and nearly £10 worth of food taken from the nearby Somerfield supermarket.

Appearing before Fenland magistrates on Tuesday, Virginja Jurkiene admitted attempting to steal three bags of nuts worth £9.97 from the Julian Graves store, and stealing chicken and coffee valued at £9.97 from Somerfield on October 25.

Prosecuting, Andrew Williams told how Jurkiene was in the Julian Graves store in Wisbech Horsefair when she placed the nuts into a carrier bag, and then took them out again.

"The store manager locked the door to stop her leaving, the police were called, and she was arrested," he said.

After the items from Somerfield were discovered, the store checked its CCTV footage, and saw Jurkiene loading items into her bag.

"What is behind these offences, is an alcohol problem," solicitor Andrew Cogan told the court. "She cannot remember what she had been doing, because she had been drinking."

Jurkiene, 45, of Market Place, Wisbech, lives on £45 a week from incapacity benefit, and spends £10 a week on drink, he said.

Her father was a brutal man, and her late husband terrorised her. Her sister hung herself last year, and Jurkiene had attempted suicide.

On the day of the theft, Jurkiene had drunk two cans of beer, and could remember nothing from two hours during that day.

"She is deeply ashamed and embarrassed," he added.

Sentencing was adjourned for three weeks.