Thief stole necklace containing ashes of victim's grandfather from train at Newcastle Central Station
The necklace had been inside the woman's suitcase, which Peter Smith took from a train at Newcastle Central Station
by Sara Nichol · ChronicleLiveA thief stole a necklace containing the ashes of the victim's grandfather when he helped himself to a suitcase onboard a train.
The jewellery had been inside the woman's luggage, which Peter Smith made-off while she sat with her family on a service from Newcastle Central Station to Manchester Airport. A court heard that CCTV was checked after the victim noticed her suitcase, containing personal items worth £1,000, was missing and Smith was identified.
It also came to light that the drug addict had stolen from shops in the station three times in 10 days, pocketing £672-worth of cosmetics, confectionary and electrical items. The 43-year-old was arrested and appeared in the dock at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to theft and three counts of shop theft.
Prosecutor, Glenda Beck, said the victim boarded a train with her family at Newcastle Central Station on June 11 this year and put her suitcase on a luggage stand. After receiving a notice that her debit card, which was inside the case, had been used she went to find it.
Mrs Beck continued: "She realised her suitcase was missing and couldn't locate it. She reported it to a staff member. The same member of train crew remembered seeing a male and female board the train with no luggage and, shortly after, getting off the train with a suitcase.
"CCTV was reviewed, which showed this defendant and another board the train at platform six with no luggage and, a short time later, leave the platform with a large, panelled suitcase, which was being pulled along by the defendant."
In a statement, the victim said a necklace containing some of her grandfather's ashes had been in the suitcase. She added: "It spoiled my whole holiday, which I had been looking forward to, and made me not want to use trains again."
The court heard that Smith, of Cambridge Street, in Cruddas Park, Newcastle, was also identified from CCTV stealing goods from Boots and WH Smith on July 11, 14 and 21. Lewis Pearson, defending, said Smith, who has 59 theft offences on his record, was addicted to crack cocaine.
Mr Pearson said "These offences were committed in order to fund a serious drug habit, which he's attempting to get some sort of treatment for." Magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report and to see if Smith was eligible for a drug-rehabilitation requirement.
He will next appear at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on October 22.
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