Spital tongues thief stole £1.2k handbag after suffering gambling losses
A thief brazenly stole a £1,250 handbag to compensate for money he'd lost to gambling earlier in the day.
Alexander Lakey entered Fenwick, in Newcastle city centre, and was watched by staff on CCTV as he selected the designer bag and walked towards the exit. A court heard that the 54-year-old made-off into Eldon Square but was quickly followed and detained by the store's security team.
The police were called and Lakey, of Mill House, in Spital Tongues, Newcastle, was arrested. The crook, who has 21 offences on his record, has now been given a 12-month community order and has been banned from entering Fenwick for 12 months after he pleaded guilty to one count of shop theft.
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Sara Kemp, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said a security operative at Fenwick was viewing CCTV on October 9 last year when he spotted Lakey acting suspiciously. Ms Kemp continued: "He watched the defendant select a handbag and put it down by his side and attempt to avoid staff as he walked through the store.
"He left the store into Eldon Square and made no effort to pay for that bag. Colleagues from the store assisted and the defendant was detained and the bag recovered."
Ian Wilson, defending, said Lakey had a "sad history" but had pleaded guilty and had stayed out of trouble for "some time". Sentencing Lakey, Deputy District Judge Wajid Khalil said: "You have pleaded guilty and I give you maximum credit for that.
"I have read a pre-sentence report, you have cooperated with the Probation Service and I have looked at your record. You have been out of trouble for sometime.
"I accept that, on the day, you didn't particularly plan or think this through. You lost some money earlier in the day through gambling and you made a flash decision to walk into Fenwick and, not very sophisticatedly, you took an item."
Lakey must also pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.