Blackburn woman stole friend's mobile phone (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn woman stole friend's mobile phone

9:00pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News

A 22-year-old woman who pocketed her friend’s smart phone during a night out later destroyed the SIM card and removed all the personal information from the phone.

But an application on the phone enabled the owner to trace the device to Sonia Waheed’s home where police found it hidden in her bedroom. Waheed, of Hereford Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft of a Samsung Galaxy S2 belonging to Julie Ellison. She was fined £75 with £100 costs.

Andrew Robinson, prosecuting, said several people were out celebrating Miss Ellison’s birthday. She lent her phone to a friend to call a taxi and it was passed to Waheed.

The phone was not missed until the next day when the owner used the Look Out application to trace it to Waheed’s home and the police were called.

Gareth Price, defending, said through force of habit Waheed had put the phone in her pocket after a call.