An opportunist thief opened the back door of a Royal Mail van while the post man was collecting letters from a post box. Tegan Harker, 20, stole the large parcel on West Lane in central Middlesbrough.
When the post man got back into his van on October 27, a warning light came on, indicating that his back door was open. The postie got out to close it and saw Harker walking down the road with the box.
Teesside Crown Court has heard that the brave postman chased her and a struggle broke out, as he tried to get the parcel back. Harker told the Royal Mail employee that she would "stab him" if he didn't let go.
He called the police, and when officers arrived, she dropped the parcel. The parcel was returned to it's owner.
Harker appeared in court on Monday after pleading guilty to the theft from a motor vehicle; and breaching a suspended sentence order. She was handed the suspended sentence in May, for a disorder offence and after being caught with a knife in public. But she later failed to turn up to two rehabilitation appointments with the probation service - which were part of the sentence.
In mitigation, Nicholas Ayres told the court that when Harker was released after being held on remand for the thefts - "she had nothing. She was homeless". Mr Ayres said that his client became addicted to crack cocaine and in August, she found her boyfriend dead in his home.
Harker appeared in court on video link from HMP Low Newton - where Mr Ayres said she has been given medication to help her off her crack addiction.
Judge Ayesha Smart activated the two-year suspended sentence that Harker breached, and added an additional 10-days to that sentence for the parcel theft. Harker, of no fixed address, will serve half of the sentence before being released.