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Therese Neylan from Reading with her replacement phone after the Blackberry she originally bought from a shop turned out to be stolen
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Teenager ‘treated like thief’ over phone

By Mike Pyle
March 01, 2012

A teenager says she was “treated like a thief” after she unknowingly bought a stolen phone from a town centre shop.

Theresa Neylan, of Castle Street, bought a new Blackberry phone from Cell Phones UK in West Street in the town centre on Friday, February 10.

But several days later she received messages via the phone’s instant messaging system saying it had been stolen.

Miss Neylan, 19, took the phone, which, it turned out, had been lost in Sakura nightclub in Gun Street on Friday, February 3, to the police days after receiving the message and says she was questioned like she had taken the phone herself.

She said: “They asked me where I was on February 3, and then they said ‘why didn’t you hand it in sooner’ – I was only two days late.

“They made me feel like a thief when I was only trying to do the right thing.”

Thames Valley Police said the phone has since been returned to its owner.

Spokeswoman Rebecca Webber said: “If anyone has any complaints about how the issue was handled they should contact the quality of service department via our 101 number or email QoSunit@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk.”

Miss Neylan complained to Cell Phones UK which haa given her a new mobile phone to make up for the mistake.

Shop spokesman Irfaan Hussain said: “The matter was resolved and we gave the customer a new phone to make sure she wasn’t left out of pocket.

“We took care of her because she came here and bought something in good faith.

“We do have measures in place to prevent this type of thing happening.

“The normal procedure is that we take ID from everyone who sells things to us and the same is true here. The seller’s ID has been passed on to police.

“We do our utmost to prevent us from buying stolen goods but there is only so much you can do.

“This kind of thing happens to bigger retailers too. We’ve only got two stores, but we’re growing as a legitimate business and we take things like this seriously.”

Police are still investigating the original theft of the phone.

Anyone with information can call 101 or the charity Crimestoppers with information.

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fanny - maybe dont put that name down on your cv in future lol

maximus, reading
02/03/2012 at 12:23

What do you expect from the EP, except a one-sided story. The boring and mundane aren't worth reading about, so "journalists" add a little.

I Ron
01/03/2012 at 14:53

We need a report of what action the police took with regard to the shop that sold the phone and the person who sold it to them.

PoneRana, Wokingham
01/03/2012 at 14:48

Some years ago my son then age 15 when returning from youth club at 8.30 in the evening witnessed a fight beween a number of people in the centre of Wokingham as aresult of which one of them was left unconscious on the pavement. As he was a lifesaver and had basic first aid training he followed his training after turning the person into the recovery position and phoned 999 for an ambulance. Before any ambulance arrived the person recovered and left the scene. Not being sure how to cancel his 999 call my son flagged down passing police car and told them what had happened. As a result he was taken to the police station and questioned not getting home until 11.30 by which time his mother was out of her mind with worry. His reaction was that he would never help anyone in trouble again. Fotunately he didn't retain that reaction.

PoneRana, Wokingham
01/03/2012 at 14:44

In all fairness, there are a lot of thick people out there who believe it's all like they see on CIS.

The Therese Neylan view: You tell the police what happens, they run around, jump over a few car bonnets, chase a bad guy and put them in a maximum security prison for the rest of their lives.

The reality: The police need to know who you are, what the facts are (also known as EVIDENCE) so as they can investigate the incident.

Result is, the real thief gets caught (and let off by the courts) and Ms Neylan blubbs to the papers because she was asked a few reasonable questions and the rest of the anti-police brigade get their high horses out of their stables and trot around in the “comments” section.

I’m sure there must be something more urgent happening in Reading rather than what this po-faced girl is whinging about?

Keith Lemon
01/03/2012 at 14:24

Which is most entertaining: the victim complaining the police asked questions about stolen property, complaining they wanted to know why she took days to react when she was made aware it was stolen property, “We do have measures in place to prevent this type of thing happening” when those measures clearly do not stop them from happening, or this website/publication turning into Watchdog again? Oh, and I missed Noodle-gate and am quite bitter no-one seems to have preserved the comments for our entertainment.

Nowtas, West Berkshire
01/03/2012 at 14:12

Not sure if its policy or the way they are taught but I have had similar ‘over the top’ attitude from the police on occasions

In one I witnessed / reported a hit and run accident that involved a few neighbours’ cars

When the police arrived we (police / neighbours) all went into my house and they started taking details / statements etc

They then asked my for my car registration / documents / insurance / license etc and I asked why as it wasn’t relevant – they then got aggressive with their attitude and even threatened me with perverting the course of justice

I asked what it had to do with me standing in my front room watching some moron drive into 3 others cars – mine was not involved and what if I did not have a car etc

Even my neighbours asked the same of them as they could not understand why they wanted to know

Although not happy they agreed not to take the information but still added they could look it up if required – I told them if they did and I found out then I would sue them for invasion of privacy as it had absolutely nothing to do with what had happened

With that attitude and other similar things I can understand this girl getting upset if they acted the same with her!

A Concerned Local, Reading
01/03/2012 at 13:30

All teenagers are criminals. Everyone knows that.

Reading Headings, Reading
01/03/2012 at 13:07

Forgot to say in my last comment, what happened to "innocent until proven guilty"?

buseng, Tilehurst
01/03/2012 at 13:03

That's the old Bill all over, even if you are a victim you are treated like a criminal. I have had occasion to ring 101 several times relating to non urgent problems I have encountered, before I have chance to explain my issues "they" want to know more about me than the issue in hand. Yes my name & address, but no they want my life history, DoB, my possible criminal history & god knows what else. Surprised they don't ask when I last wiped my backside or sh####d the missus! No wonder people are reluctant to report anything even though they always ask for witnesses or help for solving things. Unless I am directly involved they will get no help from me.

buseng, Tilehurst
01/03/2012 at 13:01

maximus - the first bit was my experience from doing voluntary work with young offenders, it wound me up as I was unemployed and got nothing despite voluntary work. The second bit of the comment I got from the papers and possibly even the Daily Mail

Fanny Saltaire, Saltaire
01/03/2012 at 12:51

Two comments:

i) in my opinion and my experience you are now assumed guilty unless you can prove your innocence, and

ii) of interest to IB fudger - people do sell houses they don't own! How? They put them in an auction at a very cheap price, not allowing anyone to look around. The properties are usually let and the landlord not local. The seller gets the documents from the Land Registry (all available on line of course) and then fakes his ID.

It's a corrupt old world.

4-4-2 and you win
01/03/2012 at 12:38

@fanny: sounds like you are speaking from experience...?

maximus, reading
01/03/2012 at 12:29

'treated like a thief' - does this mean you got considered a vulnerable teenager and given a council flat followed up by a week in Benidorm at the tax payer's expense?

Fanny Saltaire, Saltaire
01/03/2012 at 12:13

The store claims they only have 2 stores... why are they called Cell Phones UK? They must have other store out of the UK to be calling themselves that surely? Sounds dodgy to me.