Fraudster, 27, stole automotive from storage after proprietor left keys in ignition
- Chelsea Beckham, 27, stole the automotive from an acquaintance she met on the street
A fraudster mis-selling video games consoles on-line stole an acquaintance’s automotive after he stepped out of the automotive to pay for petrol whereas giving her a raise – and left the keys within the ignition.
Chelsea Beckham, 27, climbed into the motive force’s seat of the person’s automotive after assembly him on the street in Chesterton, close to Newcastle-under-Lyme, on April 9, 2023, and drove off.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Beckham, who has a string of earlier convictions, met the person in Chesterton whereas he was driving another person’s Skoda, earlier than asking if he would drive her and her accomplice round city.
He then pulled into an Esso service station on Liverpool Road and crammed up with gasoline, earlier than heading inside to pay – prompting Beckham to clamber into the motive force’s seat, begin the automotive up and go away.
The theft occurred simply days after she offered somebody an Xbox 360 for £100 – having marketed it on Gumtree below the guise of the newer Xbox One mannequin.
Chelsea Beckham requested an acquaintance to drive her round city – earlier than stealing his automotive as he went to pay for petrol
Prosecutor Emmanuel Coniah informed the court docket of the assembly in Chesterton: ‘The defendant (Beckham) requested the person to drive her and her accomplice round. She acquired within the entrance passenger seat and her accomplice sat within the again seat.
‘The driver mentioned he wanted gasoline and went to an Esso Service Station on Liverpool Road. He left the important thing within the ignition and entered the store to pay. While within the retailer the cashier knowledgeable him that the Skoda had simply been pushed off.
‘CCTV confirmed the defendant climb over the centre console into the motive force’s seat and drive the car off.’
Police then noticed the car in Fenton, east of Stoke-on-Trent, two days later -pulling it to the facet of the highway and discovering Beckham on the wheel.
The prosecutor added: ‘The officer adopted the car till it got here to a cease. He approached the motive force’s door and arrested the defendant.’
The theft occurred simply days after she offered somebody an Xbox 360 for £100 – having marketed it on Gumtree below the guise it was the newer Xbox One mannequin.
Mr Coniah mentioned of the fraud sufferer: ‘She noticed an advertiser known as Chelsea promoting an Xbox One collection, two consoles and 5 video games.
He stopped at an Esso service station on Liverpool Road (pictured) to purchase gasoline – at which level Beckham jumped into the motive force’s seat and drove off
‘On April 4 they exchanged particulars by textual content for the defendant to attend the customer’s deal with to change the Xbox, two consoles and 5 video games for £100.
‘The defendant attended and handed over an Xbox 360 which was an older model of the Xbox within the commercial. The defendant took the £100 from the girl and left.’
Beckham was jailed for 30 weeks – however was launched having already served half of the sentence on remand.
In a sufferer assertion the proprietor of the automotive mentioned he was upset by the theft. Beckham, of Pear Tree Lane, Chesterton, pleaded responsible to fraud, theft of a car, two fees of driving whereas disqualified and two fees of driving with out insurance coverage.
Paul Cliff, mitigating, mentioned the fraud was ‘actually low-level’. He mentioned: ‘It was sneaky however unsophisticated.’
He mentioned it was a ‘spur of the second resolution’ to take the automotive. Mr Cliff mentioned Beckham has had an issue with medicine and she or he moved to Blackpool to keep away from detrimental influences in North Staffordshire.
He mentioned: ‘She engaged for 4 or 5 years in a drug subculture on this metropolis. When she was in Blackpool she was off medicine. She discovered a job in a lodge. She has not used medicine since she went there.’
He added that Beckham spent 141 days on remand in custody plus 11 days from a qualifying curfew.
Judge Graeme Smith mentioned Beckham has an unenviable file of low-level felony offending. He mentioned: ‘The fraud was a sneaky offence.’
He added that the theft of the automotive was probably the most severe crime. The sentence led to Beckham’s speedy launch from custody. She was additionally banned from driving for six months.
