Peterborough thief who targeted city cars given curfew at court

Richard Clements, 30, was arrested in the early hours of 7 September following reports of suspicious activity in the Easby Rise area of Eye.

On 18 August, a resident of Easby Rise noticed her car door was slightly open and hair products worth about £100 had been removed from the vehicle overnight, despite them being out of sight.

On 4 September, another car was entered, this time with a £450 e-scooter being stolen.

CCTV footage later showed Clements riding along the road on the scooter.

Following his arrest, police searched Clements’ home address where they found the stolen hair products, however the scooter has not been recovered.

In interview, he admitted the thefts and said he had sold the scooter as he was out of work and desperate for money to pay his rent.

Clements, of Guilsborough Road in Eye, was charged with two counts of theft from a motor vehicle, which he admitted at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday (15 October).

He was sentenced to a three-month community order whereby he will be monitored by an electronic tag and made subject of a curfew where he must remain at his home address between 9pm and 6am each day until 15 January 2022.

He must also pay £450 compensation to the victim who he stole the e-scooter from.

PC Atlana Sedgwick, who investigated, said: “Clements did show genuine remorse for his actions and knows what he did was wrong and was out of desperation, this does not make it okay however the hair products have been returned and compensation will be paid to replace the lost scooter.

“I would urge all vehicle owners to double check their vehicles are locked when leaving them unattended and not leave items in them where possible. If you see any suspicious activity please get in touch with us, always call 999 if you believe a crime is in action.”

Anyone with information about suspicious activity or crime can report online at www.cambs.police.uk/report or via our webchat service at https://bit.ly/3vsiYDw to avoid phone queues. Those without internet access should call 101.