A university criminology lecturer is facing jail after a shoplifting spree stealing over a thousand pounds worth of Le Creuset cookware, premium steaks, wine and gin.
Pauline Al Said was caught trying to ‘covertly’ take more than £500 worth of alcohol and gifts from a garden centre whilst armed with a de-tagging device, a court heard.
The academic, 34, was then rumbled by undercover security guards with 33 thick-cut sirloin, rib eye and fillet steaks piled into her trolley in a branch of Marks and Spencer.
When she was confronted at the garden centre, her husband Mark Wheatcroft became ‘verbally aggressive’, hit the store’s security guard and threw a punch at him, a court heard.
After representing themselves in a trial at Salisbury Crown Court, Wilts, lecturer Al Said was found guilty of two charges of theft this week.
Pauline Al Said, a former senior lecturer in criminology at Bath Spa University, outside court
Pauline Al Said and Mark Wheatcroft outside Salisbury Law Courts where both were convicted
Her husband was found guilty of one count of theft and one count of assault.
Al Said, formerly a senior lecturer in criminology at Bath Spa University, and her 56-year-old spouse made the first shoplifting attempt at the Old Barn nursery garden centre in Horsham, West Sussex, the court heard.
Laura Duff, prosecuting, said on December 14, 2021, John Dunkling – a loss prevention officer – ‘became aware’ of a female shopper pushing a trolley around.
‘That trolley appeared to contain two full shopping bags and no other items from the garden centre,’ the prosecutor said, ‘he thought it was unusual so decided to take a closer look.’
Mr Dunkling looked at the store’s CCTV and saw Al Said walking toward the shop’s exit with the two bags, without paying.
On her way out of the store, Al Said was stopped by another member of staff who found the shopping bags were full of ‘spirit and cookware’.
Inside the bag was £400 worth of high-value spirits including Mermaid brand gin and spiced rum.
The second bag contained more bottles of alcohol, Le Creuset cookware and a Le Creuset condiment set.
Marks and Spencer on Winchester High Street, Hants, where the steaks and wine were lifted
The first shoplifting incident took place at the Old Barn nursery in Horsham, West Sussex, on December 14, 2021
Le Creuset is a popular French-Belgian maker of high-end cast iron cookware.
The couple were asked to go back into the store and it was at this point that Wheatcroft became ‘verbally aggressive’ and threatened to punch Mr Dunkling, it was heard.
He then ‘made contact with his back’.
The two shopping bags contained £581.48 worth of goods.
It was heard that Al Said was armed with a security tag remover which she had used to snip off and discard tags around the store.
Police later arrived and took details from the couple, who are from Southsea, Hants.
The second incident took place on September 30, 2022.
Ms Duff said Al Said was walking around Marks and Spencer on Winchester High Street, Hants, when an undercover security detective spotted her loading ‘packets of meat’ into a trolley.
Al Said and her husband Mark Wheatcroft, pictured outside court at a previous court hearing
Le Creuset cookware was found among the items taken in the £581.43 garden centre theft (stock picture, not actual goods taken)
‘When Ms Al Said realised she had been detected, she chose that moment to leave the store out the side exit,’ jurors were told.
Outside the store, Al Said tried to run away after security followed her and despite managing to initially get away – another security guard ‘prevented further escape’.
The freezer bags in her trolley were searched and Al Said had around 33 steaks in there.
Also in her possession were six bottles of red wine, three bottles of white wine and total, she stole £570.42 worth of products from M&S.
Al Said had denied two charges of theft and Wheatcroft one count of theft and one count of assault.
At the opening the trial, the couple – who represented themselves – addressed jurors in an effort to prove their innocence.
‘Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,’ Al Said said.
‘Thank you for taking the time of our your lives to come here and listen to us.
‘You have heard from Ms Duff – she puts her case in very simple terms.
‘She puts her case in terms which would make the case appear very straight forward and you might find yourselves wondering why we are here for quite some more days.
‘Once the witnesses are here, we will be given an opportunity to ask [them] some questions.’
Al Said said they hope to ‘establish a background’ which will ‘go some way back’.
‘We will be doing a little bit of time travelling,’ she said, ‘When we give evidence, this will all become apparent.’
She told jurors: ‘As [Ms Duff] has just explained to you, if you are not sure at the end of the prosecution’s evidence then you must find us not guilty.
‘Keep your eyes, and your mind, and your ears open.’
Her husband, Wheatcroft – who is also known as Mohammed Al Said – had said they had hoped to present factual evidence to disprove the ‘the impossible scenario the crown are attempting to portray’.
They will be sentenced at a later date.