A dopey thief was arrested by cops after walking into a police station to complain that he was featured on a WANTED poster.
Nicholas Allegretto, 23, told officers that a CCTV image of him used on the poster and published in his local newspaper was a breach of his human rights.
He also complained that had lost his job as a result and his family had been mocked.
However roofer Allegretto was arrested by police, interviewed and charged with theft.
Ironically, the CCTV image published in the local press and social media did not even show his face.
Magistrates heard that hardware store boss Neil Mackay put up posters featuring an image of Allegretto in his Cambridge shop after he stole an industrial magnet worth £23.78 on February 2 after fleeing from staff.
The poster, which warned staff to be on the look out for him if he returned, was also given to the local newspaper to publish in a bid to help catch him.
Prosecutor Paul Roach told the city’s magistrates said that Allegretto denied taking the magnet when in the police station and claimed staff had stopped him for ‘looking dodgy’.
Mr Roach added that Allegretto said: “I found out I was put into the papers and on Facebook regarding this matter.
“My family started to suffer as a result of this.
“My younger sister was mocked at school and my boss at the roofing company said he could not trust me and I lost my job.
“I’m just very unhappy being accused of something I haven’t done.”
But Allegretto, of Cambridge, was convicted of theft in his absence on Wednesday.
Chief magistrate Phil King said the evidence from shop staff was ‘clear, compelling and credible’ and the identification of the defendant as the thief was ‘equally compelling’.
Mr Mackay said after the trial: “I can’t imagine why he wanted to go to the police station. He is clearly not the sharpest tool in the box.
“I’m not sure what magnetic force attracted Mr Allegretto towards the Cambridge Police Station to reveal his identity but he now has a criminal record as a result.”
Allegretto, who despite pleading not guilty, has failed to appear at his last two court hearings and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Mr King added: “We find firstly that it is in the interests of justice that we proceed today because the defendant was in court when the trial date was set.
“The defendant has given no reason for non-attendance and there are two prosecution
witnesses here today.”
He will be sentenced at a later date.
