South Shields man fined after he tried to steal meat from Aldi store

Shazad Arif, 39, put food packs into his shopping basket and tried to make off from a store in Blyth, Northumberland.

But Arif, of Beach Road, South Shields, did not make it past a sharp-eyed security guard, borough magistrates heard.

Arif pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted theft from a shop, to a value of £84, on Saturday, September 24.

Prosecutor Anne Mitchell said: “He was seen by a member of the store’s security staff.

“He was seen to select meat and put it into his basket and then to pass the till. The goods were recovered.”

The court was told Arif’s last crime was a theft, committed in 2020, for which he was given a community order which had now expired.

Alastair Naismith, defending, said Arif had suffered with issues around homelessness and alcohol which he was now addressing.

Mr Naismith added: “It’s a low-value attempted shop theft. He says he took it for no other reason than to eat.

“He had no money. He is now taking more responsibility for his actions.

“He has taken steps to turn his life around in the South Shields area.”

Arif was fined £40, with £85 court costs and a £16 victim surcharge.