Plucky Nisa staff member wrestled Leeds burglar trying to steal vodka

CCTV footage from the store on Town Street, Beeston, showed Aaron Conlon forcing his way into the restricted area and began picking bottles of vodka from the shelf on December 3 last year.

He grabbed £209 worth, but was tackled by the female member of staff. Conlon was shown being taken to the floor, before eventually getting up and leaving the store.

An appeal was put out by West Yorkshire Police in January to find the 26-year-old who went on the run. He was already on a warrant for arrest when he stole the bottles of spirits from the Nisa Extra store. Conlon, of Grange View, Gledhow, was later arrested and held on remand.

He appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week via video link from HMP Hull, where he admitted a charge of burglary. He was initially charged with robbery, a more serious charge, but pleaded guilty to burglary which was accepted by the Crown.

He has 31 previous convictions for 55 offences, including multiple thefts and one for burglary.

Mitigating, Martin Morrow said: “He is rightly ashamed of his behaviour. I accept he has a dreadful record, he is not proud of that, But in the short time he has been in custody he has taken stock.”

Judge Ray Singh told Conlon: “You entered the staff area where the tills are and selected bottles of vodka. The staff member ran over to prevent you.

"You struggled with her and you were pushed out, but you still did not come to your senses. It was all captured on CCTV. It looked like a robbery but the Crown Prosecution Service but accepted a plea of burglary.

"It’s a surprising decision in my view, but one I’m not going to challenge. You are a model of virtue if you read your CV, but it leaves out what you have been doing in the past.” He handed Conlon six months’ jail.