Cheeky Thief Nicks Laptop From Courtroom

An audacious opportunist thief swiped a prosecuting lawyer's laptop when she momentarily stepped out of a courtroom last week.

Security staff at north-west London's Brent Magistrates Court have analysed CCTV within  the building in an attempt to identify a suspect.

A lawyer hired by the Crown Prosecution Service was dealing with traffic offences in Court 6 when she discovered her personal laptop was missing after returning to the courtroom.

On Thursday CPS lawyer Mr. Ranesh Patel said: "She suspects a defendant who had a case on, but did not come back in the afternoon, was responsible.

"It has been reported to the police and the CCTV images have been viewed.

"She reported it to the court's security. Poor lady, it was a private laptop.

"She was dealing with road traffic cases and the suspect was not in the dock, they were at the back of the court and must have just come in and taken it."

No arrest has been made.