The persistence of shop staff at Rackys shoe shop in Helston paid off when they succeeded in catching a man who ran off with a pair of boots worth £100, and then held on to him until police officers arrived.

An assistant had followed the man, who was with a woman, to public toilets in the town where she heard them giggling and laughing before coming out, the male carrying a bag with the boots clearly visible inside.

She shouted at him and tried to grab the bag, but he ran off and the boots box was recovered from the toilets. Other staff members joined in, searching for the thief, and one of them found him nearby, when he threw his bag down and the boots fell out. He was restrained by staff until officers arrived.

Appearing before Truro magistrates was the thief, 36-year-old Stuart Charles Lee, formerly of Nanscober Place, Helston but now of no fixed address. He pleaded guilty to stealing the boots on April 15.

Alison May, for the CPS, said when interviewed Lee said he would describe himself as being quite drunk and remembered the theft of the boots but nothing after that. He said it had been an opportunist action. He had previous convictions for drugs and theft.

His solicitor Fred Howell said his recollection was unclear as to what happened but he would not argue with the prosecution case. He had since split up with the woman who had been with him, who was his girlfriend at the time.

Lee was given a conditional discharge, told to pay £55 costs and surcharge, and given a drink banning order for 15 months.