Bungling CCTV Thief Caught On . . . CCTV Date: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 Source: Express & Star

A bungling thief stole a CCTV camera and was arrested a few days after police saw the film and recognised him. Desh Kumar entered the Masonic Hall, Edward Street, West Bromwich, on May 19 and at first left empty handed. But he later realised he had been captured on CCTV inside the building and returned to steal the £250 camera, with the whole escapade being filmed. At Warley Magistrates Court, the 37-year-old admitted entering a building as a trespasser and stealing the CCTV camera. He will be sentenced on June 22. Mr Kulbir Paul, prosecuting, told the court yesterday: “On May 19 there had been some builders there carrying out certain works and they failed to lock the door behind them. “They left it open and the CCTV picks up this man walking into the hall, looking round. He was joined by others who leave. “The CCTV then picks up this man with a screwdriver unscrewing one of the cameras off the wall, the camera is then removed and taken. The CCTV clearly identifies this man.” Mr Paul said Kumar was arrested at his West Bromwich home a few days later. Mr Peter Jordan, defending Kumar, who appeared before magistrates in custody for a separate offence, said: “The door was not only unlocked it was wide open. “He lives in the area, he was walking past and he walked through the open door. Two other people came in, they asked him about Freemasonry and then left, then he did without taking anything. “Then it occurred to him that he would be on the camera that he had stood in front of. “Having worked out that he had stood in front of the camera and police in West Bromwich know him, he went back, stood right in front of the same camera while he unscrewed it. he thought that would then stop the camera showing him being  there.” The hearing was adjourned for pre-sentence reports to be prepared. Express & Star Courtesy of SecurityOracle.com - The Secury Industry's Portal