A dopey thief was caught red-handed when he stole keys from a car - and then called the owner to claim his reward for returning them.
Foolish Luke Goler was caught out after arranging to meet up with his victim - and the victim’s stolen mobile phone started ringing from the 29-year-old’s pocket.
And Goler’s bid to claim the £25 finder’s fee spectacularly backfired when magistrates jailed him for 16 weeks over the thefts.
He had to be removed from the dock at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court after yelling abuse as they handed down his sentence.
Goler had pleaded guilty to offences of theft and attempted theft from a vehicle.
He broke into a Skoda Octavia parked on a driveway in Botham Fields, Milnsbridge, overnight on June 5.
The owner woke the following day to notice the driver’s door open, with his Nokia mobile, a sat nav, a fuel card and bunch of keys missing.
Vanessa Jones, prosecuting, said: “They had a key ring attached saying ‘If found please return for a £25 reward’.
“On June 7, the victim received an email from Mr Goler saying he wanted to claim the £25 and provided his mobile number.
“The victim contacted him and arranged to meet him at Lockwood Train Station.”
When the men met, Goler claimed that he had found the keys on a wall but while they were talking his phone began to ring.
Mrs Jones said: “This had the same distinctive ring tone the complainant had on his stolen mobile phone.”
Goler took the mobile phone from his pocket, the victim recognised this and told police that it was the same one stolen from his car.
He positively identified this as having a small piece of paper inside holding the battery in.
Magistrates were told about another attempted theft involving Goler on May 31 in the Marsh area. This time he used a device to unlock the driver’s door on a Nissan Micra parked on Woodlea Avenue.
He left empty-handed after searching the car but was traced to the offence by CCTV footage belonging to the owner.
Goler, who had 45 convictions to his name, tested positive for the misuse of cocaine following his arrest.
Magistrates were told that he had suffered mental health issues following an injury to his skull as a child.
This was exacerbated by his addiction to opiates and crack cocaine which he funded through petty crime.
Goler, formally of Lockwood but now living at Dearnley Street in Dewsbury, laughed from the secure glass dock as he was jailed.
When told by magistrates that this was no joke, he was removed by security officers after replying: “It is a funny matter. You’re giving me 16 weeks and making me fail again.
“Get f****d you stupid b***h.”
