Police “turned away” a man who tried to hand in a haul of vintage video games and computer equipment that he suspected were stolen – and arrested him on suspicion of burglary.
Stephen Storr “tried to do the right thing” by going to the police after he “came into possession” of the items that had been stolen from a storage container unit – and he was warned at Hull Crown Court : “Be more careful in future.”
Storr, 54, of Helm Drive, Victoria Dock, Hull, admitted an offence of handling stolen goods between April 1 and October 7, 2023. He had denied burglary.
Gareth Henderson-Moore, prosecuting, said Storr had originally been charged with burglary of an Armadillo Self Storage unit in Spyvee Street, Hull. The case was later listed for an application for that charge to be dismissed.
The prosecution agreed to drop the charge after Storr admitted handling stolen video games and computer equipment. A not guilty verdict was entered on the burglary charge.
Judge John Thackray KC said that Storr had pleaded guilty to handing stolen goods on the basis that he “came into possession of all these items” that had been taken from the storage unit. “He formed a belief, rather than a knowledge, that they were stolen,” said Judge Thackray.
“He tried to do the right thing and hand them in but was turned away.”
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Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Storr telephoned the police on 101 but the police “arrested him for burglary” later. “All the items have been recovered and will be returned, if they haven’t already,” said Miss Scott. Storr had no previous convictions and he was working full-time.
The prosecution originally claimed that Storr had entered the self-storage unit and taken vintage computer games and consoles but it was conceded that there was no evidence of burglary, said Mr Henderson-Moore. There was no CCTV coverage available of the storage area. The guilty plea to handling stolen goods had been accepted.
Storr was given a one-year conditional discharge. Judge Thackray warned him: “If you get into trouble in the next 12 months, you can be resentenced. Be more careful in future.”