Guilty plea from thief captured on CCTV

Footage of 30-year-old Adam Cowin taking the blue plastic box off the counter at Ali's Electrical Centre on Castle Street spread on Facebook at the weekend. 

 

He entered the shop at 11am on Saturday morning and was seen putting the unlabelled box into his bag - he then discarded it in the area of the Manx Museum, taking the contents.

 

Cowin was arrested and taken to Police Headquarters where he proceeded to kick and dent the door of a police van - blaming the custody sergeant for winding him up.  

 

Cowin told officers he didn't know it was a charity box and he was "very sorry for his actions" - saying he thought it was a box for loose change or tips. 

 

At Douglas Courthouse yesterday, he pleaded guilty to theft and criminal damage - social enquiry reports have been requested and Cowin will be sentenced on September 3rd.