Mislaid mobile lands Christmas thief behind bars

A thief who stole a family’s Christmas presents was arrested when he went to report the loss of his mobile phone – which he had left in his victims’ car by mistake.

The 20-year-old man, who has not been named by police, spotted an unlocked and unattended car brimming with colourfully-wrapped presents.

He decided he would help himself. But while removing the gifts, he left his mobile phone on the dashboard of his victims’ car.

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It was the first of two fatal Christmas Eve mistakes that would see the young man spend the festive season in a prison cell at Roanne, in the central Loire region of France.

Once he got home with his stash of stolen presents, he realised his mobile phone was missing.

To get a new one on his insurance policy, the loss had to be reported at a local police station, which the thief diligently set off to do.

Unfortunately for him, his victims, a young couple, were at the same station reporting the theft.

They had also given the police the vital piece of evidence – his mobile phone – and the thief was arrested on the spot.

Happily for the couple and their children, all the presents were recovered and a family Christmas was saved from disaster.