A brave female shop assistant told today how she confronted a suspected thief in Teddington and ordered him to empty his pockets.

The woman, who asked not to be identified, works at the specialist cigar shop La Casa Del Habano in High Street told Teddington Nub News: "I thought he was up to no good and he was acting very oddly near the cabinet. Then, I saw him put something in his pocket.

"I just decided to confront him there and then and told him to empty his pockets and he produced some tobacco which he had taken from the cabinet.

"He was very shame-faced but I just acted on the spur of the moment. He was very apologetic."

The plucky assistant then followed the man out of the shop and took a PHOTOGRAPH of him from behind and posted the image on twitter as a warning to other shopkeepers.

She added: "I just ran out of the shop as he left and took some photographs of the back of him in case he tries the same thing somewhere else locally."

The incident happened at 11.45am today.

About three weeks ago a customer had his valuable bicycle stolen from outside the shop.

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The thief is described as a white male with brown hair and wearing a branded North Face top and carrying food shopping.

"Teddington shops, please all keep vigilant for this man." she wrote on twitter.