Michael Adams, 20, was filmed from virtually every angle when he stole a laptop from the shop on Dale Street in the city centre.
He was arrested at a bus stop after a policeman recognised him and yesterday he was given a community order for stealing the computer.
Before his court appearance, Adams came to the M.E.N. offices with a gang of friends who told us his stupidity in stealing from a CCTV shop fitted with his less-than-intelligent reputation.
One pal said: "Everyone calls him by a nickname because he's stupid. They've done it for years."
Even his mum has thrown him out of her Miles Platting home for behavingly badly and he has been forced to live in a tent in a friend's garden.
At first Adams said he was sorry for what he had done, but then said he would do it again.
He sent a message to David Arathoon, the owner of CCTV Surveillance Solutions: "Erm. I'll be back."Debt
Adams, from Marcer Road, told us: "I was up all night drinking. I got in debt, about £150. I have gone out looking for something to rob. I have spotted the laptop so I went in and robbed it."
He already has eight convictions, including six for theft-related crimes.
Adams appeared before Manchester magistrates and pleaded guilty to stealing a Hewlett Packard laptop worth £650.
He was given a community order with supervision for 12 months and a six-month drug rehabilitation order.
He was also ordered to pay compensation of £650 to the shop owner and £70 towards court costs. Defending, Ian Baker said Adams had not claimed benefits but worked as a labourer since leaving school without any qualifications.
He had been introduced to drugs by older people and had lived on his own for a short time after an argument with his mum.
He said: "He found himself owing money to fuel his habit."
Chairman of the bench Dr Frank Hauxwell said: "Offences like this are a plague on the city - stealing goods then selling them for a quarter of their value.
"The bill for that in the city is £1.5 million a year which people like me, your parents and friends pay towards the cost of their goods. The cost to keep you in prison would be £25,000 a year."
He said the court did not feel it was time to send him to jail, but warned him he was reaching "the end of the line".
He added: "I can't understand why, considering the state of the construction industry in this city, a fit young lad of 20 can't get a full-time job and keep himself out of trouble." Tweet
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Michael - when you read this on your next stolen laptop - GO GET A JOB you sponger
Well done MEN, you've just made this nomark in to someone. The type of person who still calls this smug grinning moron a friend will be made up his mug is in the MEN. What chance have the rest of us, if he is caught (there's something new) goes to court and gets a fine (which he'll not pay) and is let out to do it all again! I can only hope that every shop in Manchester has this picture in the window with the words "do not enter this shop, you are barred." If he cannot buy his beer and fags that will hurt him far more!
God I give up!
Muppet, springs to mind and oh, please dont have any kids there are enough stupid scallies on the streets.
He doesn't do a full time job because he's dumb and lazy and probably think the world owes him a living, I have always worked and I always will. People like me are needed to play taxes and keep this country going. Get off your backside and do something you lazy dumb slob (and get some of your mates to do the same).
What a deterrent, bet he's really worried now. Shame on the MEN for making out its ok to do what this lowlife does. He's a waste of space in every respect.
Who does he think he is with his smug grin? It's about time he gets a job and sorts himself out. He shows no remorse for what he's done- it will be people on the streets next he will be robbing.
Re:Ricky's comment. We are assuming that plankton can read. Personally speaking I think Adams could do with a good "birching", what a drain on our society this little git is.
Why on earth is the MEN glorifying this idiot? Boasting about how he came and gave an interview and the picture of him smiling?
Why doesn't he go out and get a job, and live a worthwhile life like the rest of us? He's a waste of space. Most of us have debt, we don't steal to recover it. Get real you pleb.
It's utter scum like this that is bringing our societies down. Bring back the birch and give him a good hiding.
I agree with everything said so far. In cases such as this, where you just know he'll be a drain and a burden on society for the rest of his miserable pathetic excuse for a life, would it not be better to do the humane thing and give him a lethal injection...? It'll stop him breeding for one thing, and it'll cut costs and be one less moronic scally on the street with a stupid smug grin. "Oh all my friends call me stupid, I'm really proud". Idiot.
Well, a community order is a real deterrent, isn't it? How on earth can we stop people from indulging in criminal activity when there is no effective punishment? This country has gone to the dogs.
I owe B#4k on credit cards but you don't see me robbing anything that isn't bolted to the floor. I earn a decent honest living and pay them off with that - why? because I know right from wrong, a concept this muppet obviously doesn't have. He's quoted saying he will do it again, because he knows he will get away with it and even get a bit of free publicity for being a rogue - in the old days he would have had his hands chopped off, send him to Iraq and he might learn his lesson!
Pleased to meet you, Mr Stupid.
I bet this brainless idiot actually knows how to turn on a laptop?
Or even read this article, If he has stated on record that he would do it again then he needs to be dragged back to court and a stiffer penalty given, that should wipe his ugly mush up.
This oxygen thief would benefit from a severe beasting.
I agree with other comments what on earth is the MEN thinking in giving this loser the sort of publicity & 'celebrity' he so obviously finds great fun?
I think the MEN are having a laugh at his expense (good for them)
They have interviewed him and probably laughed at him all the way through it without him even realising it.
He thinks he will gain respect from his peers but really the whole of Manchester is laughing at him not with him.
He is one of life's losers who will never amount to anything at any time.
I think he looks like a good lad - and handsome to boot! Can I have his phone number? I've been trying to get my daughter out of the house for weeks. I think they'd hit it off. He looks like perfect son-in-law material!
Thats it, I am giving up my job and going to be like this scum, Why bother working when you can just walk into a shop or go to someone elses house and nick the stuff. No more getting up early in the morning, commuting to work. No more paying me bills as the social will do that. Nothing to spend me hard nicked money on but drugs. Its a sad sad day indeed.
Spare a quid for a coffee mister.
In this world of celebrity why not make this guy a star. People with no talent for anything ...he's got it made. Join Jordan, Jade, Pete Doherty in the ranks of pointless people.
Paul's idea of a lethal injection is suberb but realistically it can't happen because there would be an outcry from some soppy do-gooder. The next best thing would be enforced 2 years National Service Training a-la Bad Lad's Army as currently being shown on TV. The difference would be that they would HAVE to do the two full years and each time they dis-obeyed orders their term would be extended by another six months. That however is just wishful thinking because the spineless soppy leftys who run the country are too stupid to realize that without discipline badly behaved people just think they can do what they want and as a result we finish up with scum like this idiot.
I get the feeling that there are more and more clones of this guy apearing everyday. Is anything being done about it? Are we the only country in this spiraling termoil?
The fact that it took nearly a week to arrest him speaks volumes about the effectiveness of Greater Manchester Police!
Bring back national service, I personally think this will sort the scum out that are roaming our streets.
This lad has no remorse or shame for what he has done, the way he is smirking just shows to everyone, he's happy with what he has done.
Shame to him and shame to his family, mother and father for bringing up such an utterly disgusting trash.
I have loads of debts on my credit card, but I don't go stealing from people. I've worked ever since I finished University and am still working and paying off my debt.
The government should bring back the old days - when people were caught stealing, murdering, they were shipped off to Australia. When for the 21st century, murderers, theives, racists, thugs - all societal miscreants should be sent to war torn countries to fight wars, and care for the sick and wounded.
That will teach them on how lucky they are, they don't even know that they are born yet.
We have such a namby pamby nanny state that won't stick it's head out and say it, if something is wrong it is wrong and you will have pay the penalty for it.
Send him to somewhere like Iraq, Nigeria (Mogadishu) or Afganistan. Lets see if he still has that smirk. I bet he won't, because it will wipe away that nasty grin.