A Harpurhey man has been sentenced to 40 weeks in jail after CCTV caught him snatching mobile phones from victims in Manchester city centre.
David Platt (32) of Canons Grove, pleaded guilty to three offences of theft from a person and one offence of assaulting an emergency worker. He received his sentence on July 20, at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
The offender was caught on camera cycling past on his pushbike at speed before snatching phones from his victims on busy high streets.
He was responsible for three thefts across Manchester city centre and in each of the offences he targeted people who were on their phone in public.
Detectives worked meticulously to follow up on a number of CCTV enquiries and have also spoken to many witnesses which led them directly to the man.
On June 16, a woman was walking down Adair Street in the city centre at 3.30pm. She said someone came behind her on a bicycle whilst she was walking and snatched her phone. The victim started to chase the offender, but he was gone too quickly.
Three days later on June 19, a woman in her twenties was on a video call to her friend on her phone as she walked on Upper Brook Street in the city centre, the man cycled past her and swiped her mobile phone.
On June 20, a woman was stood on the corner of Swan Street on her phone, the man again, came from behind on his bicycle and snatched the phone out of her hands before quickly cycling away.
Detective inspector Natalie McDonald said: “The victims, left without their phones and on the street, were rightly shaken by the incidents as we can see just how quickly the offences happened. In the blink of an eye their phones were stolen.
“Throughout the trial, he showed little to no remorse for his victims –who were understandably affected by these incidents. There might not be any physical injuries as a result, but mobile phones hold a lot of precious memories and pictures which are irreplaceable.
“We want to ensure we are equipping the public with the right crime prevention advice to be able to reduce their chances of becoming a victim.
“Many people think it won’t happen to them, but it could happen to anyone, and thieves can steal things in the blink of an eye, they usually target individuals who are distracted, so we advise that you are aware of your surroundings.
“If you want to use your mobile phone whilst out and about, use it quickly whilst still being aware of what’s happening around you when on a street or in a public place.
“Keep your mobile phone and valuables out of sight and preferably in a hidden in a zipped bag.
“Know how to identify your phone. Keep a record of your mobile phone’s IMEI number by dialling *#06#, by pressing these numbers and symbols, your phone IMEI number will show on screen. If your phone is stolen, it will speed up the process of getting the phone blocked when reporting the number to your service provider.
“You can also register your mobile phone for free at immobilise.com, this will also help you if your phone is stolen helps the police to identify you as the owner if recovered.”
