Four days after being released from prison on a shoplifting charge, a 12-time convicted shoplifter was arrested again after allegedly swiping beer at a Butler restaurant.

City police said Loriann McKinney, 46, of Butler in her latest case helped herself to a 12-pack of Keystone Ice from the beer cooler at the Snack N Pack on East Jefferson Street shortly before 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Officers were notified of the theft and quickly spotted McKinney staggering on Hempfling Street, according to court documents.

Police said she admitted taking the beer. A search of her purse also turned up two used syringes, documents said.

Because of her criminal record, McKinney was arrested on a felony count of retail theft.

At her arraignment, the defendant told District Judge Sue Haggerty that she is unemployed and divorced with two children, ages 11 and 26.

She was placed in the Butler County Prison on $3,000 bail.

Court records showed that McKinney on Sept. 14 was released from the prison on her own recognizance following a previous arrest for shoplifting in Butler

In that prior case, city police arrested her Aug. 30 after she allegedly stole merchandise from two downtown stores just minutes apart.

She was initially jailed on $15,000 bail but was released in exchange for waiving her charges — two counts of felony retail theft — to court.

While normally a summary or misdemeanor offense, retail theft is upgraded to a third-degree felony regardless of the stolen property’s value when a defendant has at least two prior arrests for the same crime.

The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 7 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.