Prat Nav: Britain's dumbest thief caught on camera stealing from unmarked police car

[Snowden]

Prat Nav: Britain's dumbest thief caught on camera stealing from unmarked police car for the THIRD time


By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:04 AM on 23rd June 2008


A thief was filmed on CCTV stealing a satellite navigation system from an undercover police car in Bristol for the THIRD time in four months.

James Milsom, 21, was filmed breaking into the vehicle, just six weeks after he was released from prison for stealing a sat nav from another unmarked police car.

Smash and Grab: James Milsom caught on camera stealing a sat nav

The pictures revealed it took him only six seconds to smash the window and grab the sat nav from the vehicle parked in Cumberland Road and make a quick getaway in broad daylight.

Milsom, from Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire, was released from jail less than six weeks ago.

It was the third time in four months Milsom he had been caught breaking into an undercover vehicle. In February and March 2008, he was caught on camera breaking into cars parked in Queen Charlotte Street car park and Tyndalls Park Road, police said.

He has now been jailed for another 14 weeks.

Supt Ian Wylie of Bristol District, Avon and Somerset Police, said, 'Some of the photographs we have got from the cars have been excellent images. There is no doubt who the thief is and what they are doing. When faced with such evidence, there is no other way to go than guilty.

'We also know that the car criminals are talking about these cars - they know they are out there and that any car could be the covert car which would lead to an almost certain arrest.

'The photographs don't just lead us to the person breaking into the car either. Further police work has also led us on many occasions to the handlers of the stolen property and people the car criminal is working with.'

Getaway: Milsom flees the scene

Avon and Somerset Police regularly use unmarked parked cars around the city to catch criminals in the act following a spate of thefts.

When the thief breaks in, a tiny camera photographs them, assisting officers in the subsequent arrest.

Officers bait the vehicle with a bounty of tempting items for a thief, such as satellite navigation systems, handbags, car stereos and mobile phones, police said.

Milsom's most recent theft was the 110th time a covert capture car has been targeted in Bristol.



Prat Nav: Britain's dumbest thief caught on camera stealing from unmarked police car for the THIRD time | Mail Online

[Woodmonkey]

Stupid people help the police all the time!

[Anth]

Stupid police give persistent offenders 14 weeks in the nick.

[Snowden]

Originally Posted by Anth

Stupid police give persistent offenders 14 weeks in the nick.

Just automatically, Anth? Without a hearing?

[Anth]

No, after the hearing and everything - the legal system giving out "sentences" like that is just stupid. Repeat offenders should get more time in the nick, simple as that.

[conlor]

Yes they should, Anth. Especially ones like this who seem to like it there so much, they want to keep going back.