Pickpocket takes youngster's Christmas present

4:00pm Sunday 30th December 2012 in News By Will Lodge

Emma De'Ath, from West Bergholt, with daughter Jade, 12, who had her Blackberry phone and Christmas present money stolen while shopping in Colchester. Emma De'Ath, from West Bergholt, with daughter Jade, 12, who had her Blackberry phone and Christmas present money stolen while shopping in Colchester.

PICKPOCKETS stole a youngster’s new phone just four days after she got it for Christmas.

Jade De’Ath, 12, was shopping with friends and family in Colchester town centre when the theft happened shortly after 5pm yesterday.

It is thought the pickpocket struck after bumping into Jade causing her to drop her bag in Culver Square. While Jade, from Armoury Road, West Bergholt, was picking it up and checking nothing had fallen out the red Blackberry 9320 was taken from her pocket.

The St Helena pupil noticed her phone, her main Christmas present, was missing a few minutes later when she went to make a call. She also had some Christmas money in the case.

  • Anyone with information should contact investigators at Colchester police station on 101.

Comments(22)

MacinTyler95 says...
5:05pm Sun 30 Dec 12

When I was twelve, I had a Nokia 3310. That was 5 years ago.. Don't give a 12 year old a Blackberry!

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angryman!!! says...
6:09pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Hmm when I was twelve the only person I knew that had a mobile was zack off saved by the bell!

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RetiredVal says...
6:34pm Sun 30 Dec 12

so sad was it insured, although that doesn't make up for loss of a present someone bought you?

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gramps7637 says...
6:45pm Sun 30 Dec 12

When I was 12 mobile's were not invented, but a black berry is one of the cheapest smart phones and I see no problem with this girl having one apart from the low life's that steal from children. Hope they find them and put them away.

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Boris says...
7:46pm Sun 30 Dec 12

When I was 12, we used to find a phone box, put in 4d and then press button A when the person answered. If they didn't, we pressed button B and got the money back.
My grandchildren have always had cheap mobiles because they do tend to go missing, either stolen or left behind somewhere.

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ibelieveinangels says...
8:19pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Feel for the girl but I chose to give my son a cheap mobile as it was his 1st one and I want him to have one if he needed to contact me esp in a emergency, phones are so easily lost or stolen, my main worry is if my son was ever mugged for having a top of the range mobile.

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Yendor says says...
9:22pm Sun 30 Dec 12

My five year old turned round to my wife the other day and asked if she could have a mobile phone....It is the way of the world.

I dare say she will have a phone in the next few years but as others have said, it will be one that if it is lost, broken or at worst, stolen it will be easily replaced at minimal cost.

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co4 says...
10:00pm Sun 30 Dec 12

For goodness sake, does it really matter what sort of mobile phone it was? Somebody stole a Christmas present from a 12 year old girl in case you missed it.

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Yendor says says...
10:04pm Sun 30 Dec 12

co4 wrote:
For goodness sake, does it really matter what sort of mobile phone it was? Somebody stole a Christmas present from a 12 year old girl in case you missed it.
I suspect it mattered to the person who stole it ..... I think that's the point.

Yes, I feel for Jade though. Best wishes.

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comeonyouirons says...
10:44pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Hopefully her Mum reported the IMEI number to the supplier so the phone is useless to the person who stole it. Also, hope Jade isn't too upset about it, these things do happen in this day and age. (Unfortunately)

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SamEssex says...
11:32pm Sun 30 Dec 12

It's only a blackberry they are pretty crap. The equivalent to a 5210 when a 3330 was available with the build quality of an old btcellnet.

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WhatsTheWorldComingToo says...
6:58am Mon 31 Dec 12

why would someone do that clearly they cant afford there own phone so they have to steal off a 12 year old sick people these days i feel sorry for the girl and hope she getting it back !.

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gramps7637 says...
8:38am Mon 31 Dec 12

co4 wrote:
For goodness sake, does it really matter what sort of mobile phone it was? Somebody stole a Christmas present from a 12 year old girl in case you missed it.
Well said.

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gramps7637 says...
8:41am Mon 31 Dec 12

Yendor says wrote:
co4 wrote:
For goodness sake, does it really matter what sort of mobile phone it was? Somebody stole a Christmas present from a 12 year old girl in case you missed it.
I suspect it mattered to the person who stole it ..... I think that's the point.

Yes, I feel for Jade though. Best wishes.
Well said.

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Grabber says...
9:26am Mon 31 Dec 12

The type and cost of the phone is not important here, some scumbag has robbed a 12 year old I hope they get caught soon and the girl gets here property back.

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Grabber says...
9:27am Mon 31 Dec 12

* her not here ...

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Joker50 says...
5:39pm Mon 31 Dec 12

When I was 12 the only person I knew who had a mobile was Captain Kirk in star trek.

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Boris says...
1:10am Tue 1 Jan 13

When my grandson's friend was 12, he was beaten up by three older boys to steal his mobile. That never got in the Gazette. Sadly these things happen and they will continue to happen for as long as there are people willing to buy mobiles from thieves.
At least Jade was not physically attacked, so she should get over it soon enough. Best wishes to her.

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Bean29 says...
1:26pm Tue 1 Jan 13

What is this town coming to, stealing from a 12 year old, muggings, house burglaries, when will it stop!! And when will these people be caught, how bout get a job and buy your own stuff!! Poor little girl, whether it was a blackberry or a cheap £10 phone it was not that persons to take, they should have their fingers chopped off!! Its the only way they will learn!,,

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Boris says...
3:20pm Wed 2 Jan 13

Bean29 wrote:
What is this town coming to, stealing from a 12 year old, muggings, house burglaries, when will it stop!! And when will these people be caught, how bout get a job and buy your own stuff!! Poor little girl, whether it was a blackberry or a cheap £10 phone it was not that persons to take, they should have their fingers chopped off!! Its the only way they will learn!,,
Do we really want Sharia law here?
.
More to the point, let's hope the criminal is caught and punished in the proper way. This might be possible if the phone can be disabled as suggested earlier. If the culprit (and his/her accomplice?) are found, they might have hundreds of other stolen mobiles to answer for. The story suggests it was a professional thief rather than a casual opportunist.

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Bean29 says...
11:23pm Thu 3 Jan 13

Boris wrote:
Bean29 wrote:
What is this town coming to, stealing from a 12 year old, muggings, house burglaries, when will it stop!! And when will these people be caught, how bout get a job and buy your own stuff!! Poor little girl, whether it was a blackberry or a cheap £10 phone it was not that persons to take, they should have their fingers chopped off!! Its the only way they will learn!,,
Do we really want Sharia law here?
.
More to the point, let's hope the criminal is caught and punished in the proper way. This might be possible if the phone can be disabled as suggested earlier. If the culprit (and his/her accomplice?) are found, they might have hundreds of other stolen mobiles to answer for. The story suggests it was a professional thief rather than a casual opportunist.
How will people learn if they are not punished, i mean if they are caught what will happen to them, sweet nothing, sent to jail which us taxpayers pay for them to do so!! This world is a horrid place, where punishments are just a slap on the wrist!!

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star90 says...
2:05pm Sat 12 Jan 13

I think some of you mindless people are seriously missing the point here? To a 12 year old that was probably the best present ever!! & she had it stolen from her by some scumbag who knew exactly what they were doing to this poor girl. & as one of the above comments clearly states.. This was a professional thief and not just some random, so the likelihood is they've done this to lots of other people. Probably lots of other vulnerable young children. It's disgusting! You can't go anywhere these days, it doesn't matter who you are, how old you are, where you are or whether you're totally innocent or not, people find a way to intentionally hurt others. Something needs to be done about it.. & fast! So many people don't even like going out anymore, no wonder all these shops aren't making enough money, with the amount of online users, because nobody wants to go out. & as for those people who have written such immature comments as 'it's only a BlackBerry, they are pretty crap'.. Does it matter what phone it is? No! The moral of the story is it shouldn't be happening. Why should an innocent 12 year old girl, or even anybody, not be able to go out shopping for the day without having their belongings stolen? Think before you speak and just imagine being in the same position!

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