POLICE officers scaled a ladder to arrest a woman who has pleaded guilty to shoplifting in the New Forest.

Neighbourhood policing officers from Lymington attended an address in Pennington to arrest a 32-year-old woman concerning shoplifting incidents. 

Officers used a ladder to reach an upstairs window after '30 minutes of banging and knocking' at the door.

Police said the woman later 'reluctantly' gave herself up during their visit on Tuesday, April 25. 

Anna Cooper, of Hillside Road, appeared at West Hampshire Magistrates' Court on April 26 and pleaded guilty to two shoplifting offences.

She has been released on conditional bail to appear on May 4 for sentencing.

A Lymington and New Milton Police spokesperson said: “This investigation was greatly assisted by good quality CCTV footage, which ensured a guilty plea at court, so if you do have internal and external CCTV cameras in your businesses and homes, please make sure that they are kept clean and staff know how to use the system if we make a request for any footage.

“Lymington NPT officers will actively pursue our repeat offenders, who cause the most harm to our residential and business communities, and to put them before the courts.

“This is of course in addition to all the other investigations that the team carry, as well as putting in the time to try and carry out patrols in the town and the surrounding area.”