Thieves who stole from schoolboy caught out by quick-thinking shop manager
A 13-year-old schoolboy had his mobile phone stolen by two men while walking home in Bantock Park, Wolverhampton, a judge heard.
But a quick thinking shop manager ensured that he got it back just hours later, the city's Crown Court was told.
The boy was confronted by James Walker, aged 21, and Chad Williams, 22, while on his own on November 2, listening on headphones to music from an iPhone 5, explained Mr Robert Cowley, prosecuting.
The two men ran off with the iPhone which Williams tried to sell two hours later at CeX, an electronics retail and repair shop at the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton city centre where he had an account.
Store manager Russell Evans spotted that the men did not feature in any of the photographs on the phone, saw that a number of calls from 'mum' and 'dad' had gone unanswered – and called the police.
Williams, who had a dozen previous convictions involving 18 separate offences, was traced and arrested on November 9, while Walker gave himself up on November 17, the court heard.
Williams from Wrens Nest Road, Dudley admitted handling stolen property and was given a two-month jail term suspended for 18 months with a two-month night curfew.
Walker of Bloxwich Lane, Walsall, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery and was given a six-month prison term suspended for 18 months with a two-month night time curfew and 100 hours unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £80 compensation to the victim.
