DANCE TEACHER WALTZED OFF WITH LOOTED TV

An aspiring dance teacher was caught on camera as she grabbed a flatscreen TV from a looted store, then went back for a second, a court heard today (Thurs).

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was part of a female gang that forced her way into the Croydon branch of Richer Sounds.

The teenager, from Croydon, then turned herself in to police after her picture was published in newspapers and she admitted burglary today (Thurs).

Goods valued at £190,000 were looted from the hi-fi and home cinema store, which was also subject to £15,000-worth of damage, City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told.

Prosecutor Lisa Brown said the girl had been spotted on CCTV at around 10.30pm.

‘A large group of ladies, some of them with their faces covered, forced entry into Richer Sounds,’ she said.

‘Some of these suspects were seen to be removing property from the store and making off.

‘At this stage, because of the ransacking that took place, we are looking at somewhere in the region of £190,000 of property gone missing and £15,000 damage to the store.

‘She was seen to remove a boxed flatscreen TV and, not being satisfied with doing it once, she went back and removed another boxed flatscreen TV.’

The goods have not been recovered, the court was told.

Ms Brown added: ‘It is to her credit that she came to the front counter of Croydon police station and identified herself as one of the females from the images.’

Gabrielle Moore, defending, said the teenager was due to start courses in health and social care and at a dance academy in September.

‘She wants to be a dance teacher and has being doing ballet since she was seven,’ she said.

District judge Elizabeth Roscoe remanded her in custody to appear before Croydon Youth Court on August 17.
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