A retail worker has gone viral for all the wrong reasons after she was caught stealing thousands of pounds from the store she worked at — and her plan completely fell apart in the most embarrassing way possible.
According to police, the 22-year-old woman, who worked at a high street clothing store in Manchester, had been quietly pocketing cash from the till over several weeks. Staff began to notice “missing money” during closing counts, but couldn’t figure out who was responsible.
That’s when the store manager decided to check the CCTV — and the footage told the whole story.
“It was shocking,” the manager told UNILAD. “She’d wait until the store was quiet, pretend to refund customers, and then slide the cash straight into her pocket. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing.”
In total, the woman is alleged to have stolen more than £8,000.
When confronted, she reportedly denied everything — until police arrived at the store with the CCTV footage in hand. She was arrested on the spot.
“She thought she was being clever,” said one officer. “But cameras don’t lie.”
The story has since gone viral online after footage of the arrest was shared by a bystander outside the shop. The clip, now with over 3.7 million views, shows the woman being led away in handcuffs as stunned coworkers watch from inside.
Social media users have been quick to react, with comments ranging from disbelief to blunt humour.
“Imagine risking your job, reputation, and freedom for a few grand in cash,” one user wrote. “Was it worth it?”
The woman has since been charged with theft and fraud by employee. Police say the case serves as a reminder that “store security is smarter than you think.”
As for the store, staff say they’re just relieved it’s over.
“We trusted her,” the manager said. “That’s the saddest part — it wasn’t just about the money. It was about betrayal.”
