Car thief caught red-handed trying to flog stolen goods in Mansfield pawn shop
Early morning car break-in sparks police hunt
At around 9.45am on 24 March 2023, officers from Mansfield Central Neighbourhood Policing Team rushed to High Oakham Road after a student’s car was broken into. The crook made off with a camera, lenses, a sat nav, and a dash cam.
Thief caught selling stolen sat nav
On 29 March, police staked out a pawn shop as part of their investigation. Inside, they spotted 32-year-old Lewis Langley walk in trying to sell a stolen sat nav. Langley, who has no fixed address, was swiftly arrested, and the sat nav was seized as evidence.
Jail sentence for thief
Langley pleaded guilty to receiving stolen goods. He was jailed for 30 weeks at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 30 March.
Police praise sharp investigative work
Sergeant Alice Bartle of Nottinghamshire Police said: “This was a fantastic bit of detective work by the neighbourhood team and I’m really pleased Langley has been put behind bars.
“Officers carried out a very diligent investigation and caught him in the act of trying to sell on stolen goods. It shows why we chase stolen items and aim to get them back to victims. It’s always great when we reunite victims with their property.”
“This part of Mansfield has seen a spate of vehicle thefts recently. I hope this reassures residents that we take reports seriously and work hard to catch offenders and bring them to justice.”
