Baby-Faced Scooter Thief Locked Up for Four Years
A young criminal used stolen scooters to dash about Essex, snatching phones and valuables before facing justice at Blackfriars Crown Court. Spencer Duarte, 21, from Stansted, Essex, was sentenced this Friday, 18 May, to four years behind bars.
The High-Speed Crime Spree
Duarte’s spree involved stealing scooters then riding them to pilfer mobiles and other gear. He pleaded guilty at East Central Magistrates Court back in February to theft of a scooter and seven counts of theft, plus driving uninsured and while disqualified. The court also ruled he must stay off two-wheelers and banned him from using any phone not registered to him for three years.
Behind Bars and Banned from the Road
- Four years in prison
- Four years driving ban
- Three-year Criminal Behaviour Order restricting scooter use and phone possession
Duarte’s partner, Jade Clapham, 18, also landed trouble for helping him dodge the cops. She pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and awaits sentencing in July.
Police Hunting the Scooter Snatcher
“This was a fantastic result… These sentences send out a strong message that incidents like these will be dealt with robustly,”
— Detective Superintendent Lee Hill
The cops used DNA tagging spray on scooters and recovered forensic evidence from an abandoned moped in Haringey. Footage, fingerprints, and DNA linked Duarte to a string of daring thefts. After a dramatic arrest where Duarte was found tucked away in a cupboard at his girlfriend’s flat, he even tried to fake illness and escape custody. Police tracked him down again days later and charged him with multiple offences.
Operation Venice Cracks Down on Scooter Crime
The dedicated Operation Venice Investigation Team (VIT) pieced together Duarte’s crime spree. Their relentless manhunt stopped his high-speed thieving and sent a clear warning: steal scooters and snatch phones, and you’ll face serious jail time.
