A woman threatened a member of staff at Lidl with a small knife when she was asked to leave the shop in Harold Hill.
Police responded to reports of an incident at the Lidl in Gooshays Drive on Saturday, August 31 at around 7pm.
A spokesman from the police's East Area Command said: "There was a female shoplifter in the shop and when she was challenged she pulled what the witness said was a small knife and threatened the manager."
After trying to leave Lidl via a fire exit, the woman fled the store.
Police searched the area without success and they are now looking through CCTV footage to try and locate the suspect.
No arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing.
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