Man admits keeping a stolen moped he found in a bush

Andrew Stevens 44 of Chatsworth Street Sutton appeared at Mansfield Magistrates where he pleaded guilty to the theft by finding of a black and red Piaggio Zipp moped on October 28.

The court heard the couple who owned the moped had left it parked and secured outside a takeaway in Pleasley

They went off to work, came back and found it was missing.

They told police they had spotted their moped being driven the following day and followed it into Pleasley.

The moped was ridden into a caravan site, complete with a different number plate.

Police were called and the moped was found in Steven’s caravan.

Stevens told police he had found the moped in a bush and denied he had taken it from the car park the previous day.

The court heard that witnesses had described the original thieves as a man with brown hair and a blond woman.

District Judge Jonathan Tafte said; ”It is clear you found it after it was taken and abandoned. You did not want to look a gift horse in the mouth .”

Stevens was given a two year conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £20.