THIEF TRACKED BY APP ADMITS PHONE THEFTS
Chancer threw mobiles out of window when team found him
A SNEAK thief who stole a football team’s mobile phones was caught red-handed after players used an app to track him down.
Ryan Richardson, 27, took handsets from the away dressing room while St Roch’s were playing Port Glasgow last September.
But when the Port Glasgow players noticed their phones were missing, they used the Find My iPhone tracking device to lead them to Richardson.
At the time, the Record revealed video footage of some of the players outside an address in Springburn, Glasgow.
When they raised a ladder against the wall, Richardson threw most of the stolen goods from a first-floor flat window.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday, Richardson, from Thornliebank, admitted stealing a quantity of mobile phones from the Royston Road football ground on September 16.
Gareth Reid, prosecuting, said that among the stolen items were phones worth £400 and £450.
Sheriff Allan Findlay deferred sentence until next month for background reports.
At the time, St Roch’s manager Andy Cameron – whose side won the match 2-1 – said: “The guy had no connection to either club. He was just an opportunistic thief who took advantage of the fact our security guy was off sick to sneak into the away dressing room.
“The guy must have got the fright of his life when he realised he’d been caught. He threw the phones straight out the window.
“We are really sorry this happened to the Port Glasgow boys at our ground.”