Proficient college scholar turned thief to grab Apple iPhone parcels from supply drivers

A ‘mannequin scholar’ lay in await supply drivers and snatched parcels containing cellphones from them earlier than leaping right into a getaway automotive, a court docket heard.

Azeez Babatunde Agboluaje was ‘appearing underneath directions’ when he grabbed the packages, every of which contained an iPhone, from two totally different drivers in the identical highway and on the identical day final yr.

The 25-year-old, who’s in his closing yr at Loughborough College, jumped right into a white Mercedes automotive after finishing up the thefts in Thurmaston on Friday, January 11.

He appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court docket to confess two offences of theft and one in every of hashish possession.

Prosecutor Stacey Mills advised the court docket the drivers have been focused as they arrived at an handle in Church Avenue, Thurmaston.

She mentioned: “On arrival the primary driver was approached by the defendant who requested if the parcel was for a selected handle.

“It was defined to him that he needed to open the door of the handle to point out he lived there.

“The defendant grabbed the parcel and ran off and received right into a white Mercedes.

“The identical factor occurred later – the defendant grabs a parcel and runs away.

“The folks on the handle weren’t anticipating any telephones to be delivered.”

Agboluaje was traced by Leicestershire Police to his house on the time, in Woodgate, Loughborough city centre.

Officers searched the flat and located hashish.

There was no proof he had ordered the telephones or organized their supply.

He’s presently dwelling together with his household in Camilla Street, Bermondsey, London, however mentioned he intends to depart the capital to flee the ‘destructive’ influences of others.

His authorized consultant, advised the court docket: “He’s deeply and, if I could say, genuinely sorry.

“He want to apologise to the drivers from whom the parcels have been stolen.

“He was appearing underneath directions.

“He was there to intercept these parcels and didn’t know at the moment what was in them – however did study later it was iPhones.

“They have been for onward passing to another person – however this on no account absolves him of duty.

“It is vitally stunning he has received concerned on this. He’s far too clever.

“He’s in his closing yr at college finding out chemical engineering.

“He’s a mannequin scholar and a well mannered particular person and he tells me he intends to do a masters in enterprise administration and transfer into actual property.

“That is clearly going to have an effect on his potential prospects.

“He has defined to the probation service that he doesn’t intend to return to London after his course at Loughborough finishes due to the destructive affect of some folks there.”

District Decide Nick Watson advised him: “You grabbed these parcels from people who find themselves fairly weak.

“They’re delivering high-value items and doing an necessary job.

“This was not theft, but it surely was not far off.

“You didn’t use pressure. I settle for you didn’t do the planning your self.

“The one sentence I can impose is a jail sentence.

“I can see you may have a really promising profession forward of you – in case you behave and direct your apparent abilities in the proper route.

“So I’m going to take an uncommon step and droop the sentence.

“You may have your probability now to reside your life in a constructive approach. Take it.”

He was ordered to finish a rehabilitation course with the probation service and to hold out 100 hours of unpaid work.

He should pay £85 prosecution prices and a £122 sufferer surcharge.

The decide ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the hashish.