Sat nav 'sting' catches thief

10:13am Friday 28th September 2007

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A THIEF was caught on CCTV after police set up a sting operation involving a satellite navigation system left on the dashboard of a car.

But when they faield to recover the item after it was stolen, they tried to claim £1,800 compensation for the equipment.

Defence solicitor Rachael Adamson told Blackburn magistrates she didn't think there was a system in existence that cost that kind of money.

And the magistrates backed her judgement by ordering thief Kieran Chatburn to pay just £170 compensation to Lancashire Constabulary.

Chatburn, 28, of Hamlet Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft of a satellite navigation system belonging to Lancashire Constabulary. He was made subject to community supervision for 18 months and ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work as well as the compensation.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said the satnav system had been left in a parked car which was covered by closed circuit TV.

The footage showed Chatburn approaching the car at 6.50pm and remove the system.

"The item hasn't been recovered but the claim for £1,800 compensation is clearly nonsense," said Mrs White.

Miss Adamson said the idea of a sting' operation was to entice someone like Kieran Chatburn to commit an offence.

"The vehicle was covered by CCTV, officers were not waiting to make an immediate arrest, and obviously there was a high risk the item would not be recovered," said Miss Adamson, who produced an print out from an internet page advertising a Tom Tom 300 for £89 plus VAT.

"I find it strange the police would risk something of the value they initially put on the system when there was a good chance they wouldn't recover it."