A 23-year-old man who used “distraction techniques” to commit a string of thefts has been given an 18-month community order.

Codreanu Mihai, of St Helens Street, Ipswich, was before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to the theft of a Samsung Galaxy phone.  

Mihai approached the victim in a shop and he started speaking to her in poor English.

He also carried a map and a piece of paper asking for directions the court heard from prosecutor Collette Harper.

He continued talking for several minutes but when the victim later went to look for her phone she realised he had taken it from the surface she had put it down on just before he had approached her.  

Police took CCTV images of the defendant and then some months later a Suffolk policeman was made aware of a male acting suspiciously near The Walk in Ipswich.  

The court heard the man appeared to be begging before getting a map out and using a distraction technique and the officer alerted was aware there were a number of similar distraction thefts on the police system.

There was a struggle as Mihai was arrested and he had to be PAVA sprayed.

On top of the theft of the victim's phone, which happened in 2019, he admitted eight similar offences which were taken into consideration.

However, defence barrister Shelley Drew said the thefts had been fuelled by a gambling habit and that he was now a completely different person.

Mihai was given an 18-month community order along with 180 hours unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

He was ordered to pay £160 in compensation to the first victim as well as £1,500 compensation to others he stole from.