This is the moment an elderly lady allegedly swiped a trendy £78 vintage bowl from an antiques store before hiding it in her shopping bag. 

CCTV footage captured the suspected thief visiting Buster Antique Sellers in Frodsham, Cheshire, on November 5. 

On this occasion, she could be seen examining the expensive green and white Spode ceramic bowl before placing it back on the shelf.

However, three days later she returned to the store armed with a large bag-for-life that she is alleged to have stashed the bowl in before carrying it out. 

The antique store has claimed she did not pay for the item but have not reported the suspected theft to police. 

A post on social media reads: 'This sweet old dear came into our shop on November 5 and scoped it out and then came back on November 8 and stole a £78 bowl.'

They added in another post: 'This lovely person decided she really loves our Spode bowl but unfortunately she did not want to pay for it.

'Please share away fellow dealers and let's make her famous. This was today in [...] Frodsham.

'Found her on Wednesday checking the bowl out and she had an opportunity to take it then.

'Even opened up her bag again but didn't and just came back today for it.'

Many users commented how shocking the alleged incident was.

One wrote: 'A thief is a thief no matter their age.'

Another commented: 'The brass neck of it. She wasn't even devious and brazenly put it in a bag. Then again, nothing surprises me now.'

A third wrote: 'That's disgraceful. The age of her too.' A fourth commented: 'Name and shame. OAP or not. No need.'

The alleged theft comes amid soaring rates of shoplifting across the UK - with Labour accused of turning Britain into a 'soft touch' for criminals. 

Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed retail crime spiked by 13 per cent in Sir Keir Starmer's first year in power. 

And amid these rising rates, police say there has been a increase in middle-class shoplifters targeting high-end shops 'for the thrill of it'.

For example, Cambridgeshire Constabulary released CCTV footage of thieves targeting John Lewis in the historic city in October.

The clip shows a mother-daughter pair trying on clothes in the department store before hiding the clothes they wanted to steal in their handbags.

Another clip shows a woman spraying perfume from a tester before brazenly dropping it into an already full shopping bag.

PC Emily-Jayne Matthews, of Cambridgeshire Police, said a huge bulk of thefts in the city were by people who are older, middle class and with nice houses and jobs.

She runs a Facebook campaign called Wanted Wednesdays where she posts images of suspects and says many turn themselves in for fear of being exposed.

Shoplifters who are caught have to pay for the items, receive a lifetime ban from the shop and must apologise in person.

PC Matthews told ITV News Anglia: 'These aren't people stealing out of necessity, they're people in professional jobs, taking high-end items like clothing and perfume, simply for the thrill.

'I've had one suspect in interview, when she was banned from John Lewis and Waitrose, say: 'Where am I going to get my weekly food shop?'

'The embarrassment is often the strongest deterrent.'

Police said these offenders, targeting high-end stores, are not stealing out of necessity but 'for the thrill of it'.