Brighton mobile phone thief jailed

A mobile phone thief from Brighton has been jailed after being caught red-handed by plain-clothed police officers.

Simon Hornby, 42, of New Steine, Brighton, was seen stealing a £500 mobile phone from the Carphone Warehouse shop in Churchill Square, Brighton, on Wednesday (7 November).

He was followed to a second-hand phone shop where he tried to sell the stolen phone.

Uniformed officers from Sussex Police then arrested Hornby who was brought before Brighton magistrates yesterday (Thursday 8 November).

He was sentenced to four weeks in prison.

PC Claire Horner said: “Plain-clothed officers often patrol the city centre as a part of our Operation Tealeaf, targeting thieves in the street and around shops, clubs and pubs.”

She added: “You never know who is watching you.”