Sandwell thief jailed after public help identify him

A thief who took a mobile phone from a wheelchair user in West Bromwich has been jailed after the public helped to identify him.

Police issued an appeal for information - including an image of the suspect - following the theft on Cronehills Linkway.

The owner had dropped the phone and the offender picked it up, laughed in their face, and then stole it on 20 June this year. After issuing the appeal officers received information identifying Kelvin Stewart as the thief and arrested him.

The 45-year-old, of Blue Rock Place, Oldbury, admitted theft and was jailed for eight weeks at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court last Thursday. He was also ordered to pay compensation to the owner.

Sergeant Paul Bishop, from the West Bromwich town centre team, said: "This was an appalling crime where Stewart even laughed in the face of the owner as he stole their phone.

"His identity was unknown initially, but we secured an image which we were able to issue publicly to try and establish who the offender was.

"Thanks to information which came in we were able to identify Stewart and arrest him. He had no other choice but to admit his actions and he's now rightly behind bars for his crime.

"We're grateful for the support we receive from our communities and this just shows how working together makes a real difference."