Shoplifter 'in disguise' hit with remarkable North East ban after over 150 convictions

Nuisance offender Tanya Liddle has plagued the Northumbria Police Force area for decades and been arrested almost 400 times. Liddle, 43, has now totted up 171 convictions on her record, the vast majority of which are for shoplifting. And she commits her crimes, wearing a wild array of disguises.

One of her latest offences was carried out on Wednesday, April 24, when she went into TK Maxx on Westmorland Retail Park in Cramlington and helped herself to £1,500-worth of bags before leaving with out paying or speaking to staff.

Due to her prolific offending, officers with Newcastle North West Neighbourhood Policing Team based at Westgate Road applied for a civil injunction against Liddle, which was granted on Thursday, September 12 in a hearing at Newcastle Civil Court.

The order is the strictest of its kind ever issued in the Force area.

It means she will now be prevented from entering any retail premises within the Force area, with the exception of a pharmacy, a supermarket and a clothing retailer.

Should Liddle, of Murrayfield Road, Newcastle, ignore the terms and conditions of her order, she faces arrest and a possible jail term.

Inspector Patrick Hannon, of Northumbria Police, said: “We are pleased to have secured this order, which is thanks to the excellent and tireless work of our officers.

“Liddle has consistently targeted retailers for a number of years and exhausted every opportunity given to her to change her ways. With that in mind, we feel that this is the best way to manage her offending.

“The severity of this order demonstrates the seriousness of her criminality and the significant impact it has had on the retail community within the region, which is something we will simply not accept.

“I hope this ruling sends a clear message to other shoplifters that your behaviour will not be tolerated and you will be brought to justice.”

Inspector Hannon added: “I’d like to reassure the public that should we find Liddle to be in a premises she shouldn’t be, we will not hesitate to take action and get her arrested.

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“Please, if you do witness her in one of the shops she shouldn’t be, contact us immediately so that we can take the appropriate action.

“We hope that this news offers reassurance to the wider community and, as a Force, we will continue to do everything in our power to act on concerns reported and bring effective justice against prolific offenders.”

The force says anyone who witnesses Liddle in a premises she is prohibited from entering should send Northumbria Police a direct message on social media or use the live chat function on the website.