A phone snatcher has been convicted after DNA from a shoe he lost during a theft in the City of London linked him to the crime. Spencer Duarte, 28, was tackled off his e-bike by members of the public after he stole a handset from a victim's hand in Ludgate Hill on 7 August last year - losing a trainer in the struggle. He was captured on CCTV wearing one shoe after he managed to get away. Police sent the trainer for DNA analysis and found the thief's profile on the national database. Duarte, of Saffron Walden, Essex, appeared at Inner London Crown on Monday where he admitted one count of theft. He is due to be sentenced in September. Physical forensics manager Andrew Walker, of the City of London Police, said: "We were able to get sufficient levels of DNA from the shoe to obtain a single, major profile that was suitable for searching against the national DNA database. This search generated a "hit" to a man whose profile had previously been uploaded, Mr Walker explained. "The slipper fitted our Cinderella and we were able to bring him before the courts." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London onSoundsand follow BBC London onFacebook,XandInstagram. Send your story ideas tohello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk
Phone snatcher caught with DNA from lost shoe
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"Man Convicted of Theft After DNA Evidence Links Him to Phone Snatching Incident"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Spencer Duarte, a 28-year-old man from Saffron Walden, Essex, has been convicted of theft following a brazen phone snatching incident in the City of London. The crime occurred on August 7, when Duarte, riding an e-bike, approached a victim on Ludgate Hill and snatched a mobile phone directly from their hand. During the chaotic struggle that ensued, Duarte lost one of his trainers, which would ultimately become a key piece of evidence against him. After the incident, members of the public intervened and tackled him, but he managed to escape the scene wearing only one shoe. The police quickly reviewed CCTV footage from the area, which showed Duarte in the act and wearing the shoe he had lost during the altercation. This footage played a crucial role in identifying him as the suspect in the theft.
Following the investigation, the trainer that was left behind was sent for DNA analysis. The results were significant, revealing a match with a profile in the national DNA database. Physical forensics manager Andrew Walker from the City of London Police highlighted the importance of this breakthrough, stating that they were able to extract sufficient DNA to identify Duarte as the thief. Walker remarked humorously, "The slipper fitted our Cinderella," referring to the way the evidence linked Duarte to the crime. He appeared at the Inner London Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to the theft charge. Sentencing is scheduled for September, and this case underscores the effectiveness of forensic science in solving crimes, especially in instances where traditional methods may have struggled to yield results.
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