Thief ordered to pay £760 compensation despite having no recollection of stealing from a car in Sunderland street
Michael Taylor, 24, of Hume Street, Millfield, Sunderland, could not remember pinching from the white Berlingo motor overnight on Tuesday, October 1, a court heard.
And his memory was not jogged when police showed him images of his crime in Aiskell Street, Sunderland – though he did accept responsibility.
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Hide AdJobless Taylor swiped data header and card reader devices from the vehicle which cost the owner £650 to replace, magistrates in South Tyneside were told.
The goods were got rid of without financial gain by one of Taylor’s relatives when they realised the items were stolen and wished nothing to do with them.
Prosecutor Kirstie Devine said a further £110 of damage was caused by Taylor to the car, for which the court also ordered he pay recompense.
She said: “[The victim] explains that on October 1 he left his vehicle parked outside his home address, locked and secure.
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Hide Ad“He was notified on October 2 that the vehicle had been broken into and the offside window was smashed.
“In terms of the impact of the offences, [the victim] lost three days’ wages and also had to replace the items.”
The court heard Taylor has 16 previous convictions from 24 offences, including vehicle interference in 2016 and theft from a car in 2018, for which he was jailed.
Paul McAlindon, defending, said: “I’m sure you will give Mr Taylor credit for his early guilty plea.
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Hide Ad“He says he has no recollection of why he did it, but he accepts that he’s the person shown on the footage.
“He is a man who has some learning difficulties, which means he’s not fit to work.
“He says that he didn’t profit from the offence, in that the items weren’t sold by him.
“The items were got rid of when it was realised what he had done.
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Hide Ad“He doesn’t have a drug problem. He can’t offer any great explanation why he did this.”
Taylor was also fined £200 for the admitted criminal damage offence and £80 for the theft from a vehicle, to which he also pleaded guilty.
There were no court costs.