Man charged with handling stolen Hove Park School iPads

A man has been charged with handling stolen iPads taken from Hove Park School last summer.

Thieves broke into the school overnight on June 20/21 and took 150 iPads worth £35,000 which were to be given to students.

Police have now recovered some of the iPads and have charged Kay Ramis, 27, of Hebe Road, Shoreham, with handling stolen goods. He is due to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 19 February.

Sussex Police today launched a campaign urging members of the public not to buy goods they believe they may be stolen to reverse what they’ve dubbed the ‘Del Boy effect’.

Named after the Only Fools and Horses character who sold goods of dubious provenance, the scheme will also see police working with market traders to identify those who may be selling stolen items.

PCSOs and police officers will be visiting second hand shops across the county to encourage them to carry out a series of checks on every purchase they make that could have been stolen.

Traders can use the online Checkmend system to compare items they are offered with goods listed by police or victims as stolen on the national mobile property register (NMPR).

They are also being encouraged to make sure purchases are done in view of CCTV cameras and to take and keep the details of anyone they buy items from – passing any suspicions they have to police.

Firms that agree to sign up to the checks will be given posters to display to thieves that they will check to see if any items they are offered are stolen.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Betts said: “There is a clear link between burglaries and the second hand goods market but too many people seem to think that Del Boy-style criminals are just lovable rogues.

“The fact is that these offenders make their living by selling the stolen possessions of others. They are not victimless or blameless – they are part of a problem that causes real pain to people.

“We are appealing to the public to think when they are offered items that seem to be a great deal. If the price is too good to be true the items are probably stolen – so don’t buy them.

“You do not have to know that something is stolen to commit an offence if you buy it – just believing that it could be stolen is enough.

“If you are found with a stolen item you could be arrested and prosecuted. It is also likely that we will seize the item from you and you will lose not only the money you have paid but the item as well, so it will no longer seem such a good deal.

“We can all do our bit to reduce burglary by making the market for stolen goods dry up.”