Leigh Griffiths charged over alleged shoplifting

By CLAIRE GARDENER
Published on 28/01/2013 09:05

SCOTLAND and Hibernian striker Leigh Griffiths has been arrested and charged on suspicion of shoplifting in a ­supermarket.

Griffiths, who played in yesterday’s match again Aberdeen, is believed to have been detained by security guards at a superstore in

Edinburgh on Saturday.

The 22-year-old striker allegedly took four bottles of Lucozade from a Tesco supermarket in Corstorphine. Griffiths took to Twitter over the weekend to admit he had been questioned in the back office of the store. However, he said he had been allowed to leave after a review of CCTV footage.

When challenged about the rumours on Twitter, the striker, who is at Easter Road on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers until the end of the season, denied any wrong-doing.

He wrote that it had been “something over nothing” adding: “Got taken to the back, asked about it, looked on CCTV and I was away, simple as that!”

He added: “I’ve been caught shoplifting, but I’m tweeting? Pretty sure I’d be in a cell!

Think about it! Huge ­misunderstanding.”

Lothian and Borders Police confirmed yesterday that a 22-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with an alleged shoplifting incident. Griffiths is likely to appear in court at a later date.

A Hibernian spokesman said yesterday: “The club is aware of an alleged incident which took place on Saturday afternoon involving the player. This is now a police matter.”

Griffiths, who began his career at Livingston and also played for Dundee before moving to England to play for Wolves, has scored 15 goals in 23 outings for the Edinburgh club this season and made his full Scotland international debut against Luxembourg last year.

He played from the start of his club’s SPL match against

Aberdeen on yesterday ­afternoon.

He was criticised earlier this month for telling someone to “go back to your own country” on Twitter.