Oxford Lush store burglary charges dropped

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-37343099

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A homeless woman accused of burglary after she returned stolen goods to a Lush store has had the charges against her dropped.

A laptop and a box of cosmetics disappeared from the shop in Cornmarket Street, Oxford, on 9 February.

Charlotte Pauling, 29, returned the goods the next day after claiming she challenged a thief outside the shop.

She was subsequently charged with burglary along with 42-year-old Gabriel Chamberlain.

She was due to go on trial earlier at Oxford Magistrates' Court, but the prosecution offered no evidence and the case was dropped

A donation fund set up by the store to thank Miss Pauling initially raised £9,245, but this was later suspended and the money was returned.

Lush subsequently donated £20,000 to Oxford Homeless Pathways, the Icolyn Smith Foundation and Oxford Community Soup Kitchen, Oxford Homeless Project and Aspire Oxford.