A WOMAN police said was a habitual shoplifter hid a digital video recorder in a pram in a bid to evade security staff at an Albury retailer.
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Rebecca Lee Giddings has been caught twice since 2011 using the pram ploy.
Albury Local Court was told yesterday her shoplifting attempt last month came unstuck when a customer spotted her at the Harvey Norman centre. Giddings was confronted as she left the centre with a request to look in her pram.
Her response was: “No. Can’t you see my baby is asleep”.
But as a staff member said he had to look in the pram and began lifting a blanket, Giddings ran through the furniture department into a car park.
There was no baby, only a video recorder valued at $550.
Giddings was jailed two years ago for shoplifting. One charge involved her hiding Playstation consoles in her child’s stroller.
Giddings, 27, of Coolibah Court, Thurgoona, was charged with three shoplifting matters over last month’s incident.
She did not to attend court but magistrate Megan Greenwood convicted her and issued arrest warrants.
Police prosecutor Sgt Andrew Pike said warrants were appropriate, considering Giddings has previously been jailed for shoplifting, using one of her children in a stroller as cover during a theft spree.
Giddings came unstuck in January 2011 on her third trip to a Lavington retailer to steal Playstation consoles when security staff stopped her.
Her latest offences involved two thefts from Aldi Lavington on December 12.
She went through the entry with a trolley and later went out the same way after stealing a coffee machine, deep fryer and towels.
A man who aided her walked up to the entry gate which opened so Giddings could exit.
The store manager watched security footage to identify the pair and notified police.
Giddings went to the Harvey Norman centre about 11am on December 31 pushing a pram covered with thick blanket.
She wanted to buy a mobile phone, but lost interest when told a credit check was required.
A short time later, she took the video recorder.