A man who stole knives with the intention of ‘getting revenge’ on someone he thought took his phone at a Cambridgeshire fair has been jailed.
Jason Simons stole a pack of knives from B&M in Bridge Street, Peterborough after he suspected someone grabbed his mobile phone at Jurassic Park dinosaur fair in June.
The 44-year-old visited the same store to buy vodka and sweets earlier in the afternoon of the event on Sunday, June 9 at The Embankment in the city.
A court heard how Simons was playing a game at one of the stalls when he spotted a man move his phone from a table he had left it on.
Thinking it was stolen, that was when he returned to the store where he stole the packet of knives worth £4.99 and headed back to the event site.
Shortly after 4.30pm, Simons was refused entry back into dinosaur fair after he revealed his plans to security staff on the gate.
He left The Embankment and walked to the nearby magistrates court house when he dialled 999 from a phone box and handed himself in.
Simons was found on a bench outside the court with the knives in his backpack drinking vodka and coke.
Simons, of Park Farm Crescent, Stanground, was arrested and was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months and given a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
He also pleaded guilty to theft and possession of a weapon in public at Peterborough Crown Court on Thursday, August 8.
PC Rebecca Wilkinson said: "Whether or not the man at the fair had meant to simply move Simons's phone or steal it, stealing knives for 'revenge' was not a proportionate reaction.
"Carrying knives in public is a serious offence. If you know someone who carries a weapon, please report it to us so we can act and build up intelligence.
"Know someone who carries a knife or other offensive weapon? Please report it by calling 101 or visiting www.cambs.police.uk/report. Always call 999 in an emergency."
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