Robber who told victim he had a gun caught out by photos taken on stolen iPhone
A robber from Spalding has been jailed for five years after an Apple ID linked him to a crime.
Conor Cunningham (21) and two accomplices approached two men who were sitting on a bench at the Trumpington Meadows nature reserve about 6.50pm on August 28.
They demanded money and phones from the victims and began ransacking their bags.
A man, later identified as Cunningham, took an iPhone 7 with a debit card inside the case. He told the victim he had a gun while demanding he disclosed the password.
All three men walked off from the scene and then fled on mountain bikes.
Just seven days later, the victim replaced his stolen phone but started to see photos appear on his camera roll that he had not taken.
Through iCloud, his stolen phone connected to his new phone and he saw a picture of a man he recognised from the robbery.
A screenshot image of a conversation provided the name of Conor Cunningham and a subsequent Facebook search identified Cunningham as being the robber.
On September 3, 2018, at about 5pm, another man was targeted by Cunningham.
The victim was walking along a track which runs parallel to the guided busway in Cambridge when he was approached by two men on bicycles.
Both men got off their bikes and approached the victim telling him to stop.
One of the men, later identified as Cunningham, told the victim that he had a knife and began searching his bag. Cunningham pulled out a lunchbox and an iPad.
The victim told him that the iPad could be tracked by GPS so Cunningham returned it and said “you’re lucky mate”.
He told the victim not to tell anyone about what had happened and both men left on their bikes.
The incident was reported to police and forensic examination of the lunchbox identified Cunningham’s fingerprints.
Cunningham, of Farrow Avenue, Holbeach, Spalding, was arrested at a house in Trumpington in relation to both offences on September 9, 2018.
He denied charges of robbery and attempted robbery but was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
A second man in his 20s was arrested in connection with the offences but was released with no further action.
DC Karen Lunn said: “Cunningham threatened his victims with violence while attempting to steal whatever he could get his hands on.
“Thankfully none of the victims were injured and I hope the sentencing gives him time to reflect on his actions.”