A woman has been arrested following an incident in Stratford last night (Monday 6 April).
At around 7.30pm, police were called to a report of a woman suspected of shoplifting in two supermarkets on Birmingham Road.
At one location, it's reported she deliberately coughed in the faces of shop staff, and at a second location, threatened to cough at shop staff whilst claiming she had coronavirus.
The woman, aged 34 from Stratford, was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and common assault.
She was taken to police custody, and whilst attending a medical appointment with officers today, was further arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and causing intentional racially motivated harassment, alarm and distress.
She currently remains in police custody.
Issued: HCB, Corporate Communications