Stupid thief caught after posing next to a stolen post office van

Jailbird Ryan Deans, 28, had been on parole from prison - yet he agreed to stand next to the vehicle for a lark after it was snatched by thieves whilst a postman was delivering parcels.

But he was arrested when police who arrested one of his friends seized his device, examined the image gallery - and recognised a picture of Deans stood with the van.

Officers recovered the vehicle but it had been waxed and painted a different colour.

At Manchester Crown Court, Deans from Little Hulton, near Salford, denied stealing the van but admitted handling goods and was jailed for 18 months.

Sentencing Judge Suzanne Goddard QC said: "Criminals are often stupid aren't they? But the fact is in life there will always be rules and if you can't cope with that there will be a grim future.

"You have a truly appalling record - but the courts have extended ever effort to assist you while growing up. It's up to you when you're going to start complying with society."

The theft occurred in August when the postman driving the van had stopped to make a delivery - leaving the keys in the ignition.

As he did so two men walking past jumped in the vehicle and drove off. It was later found abandoned on a dirt track - with all the post inside missing.

Prosecutor Rachel Shenton said the vehicle was fitted with a tracking device - but it was not in operation for all of the time the van was missing. The picture of Deans was found when the friend was arrested later.

Miss Shenton said: "That picture must have been taken either the day or the following day that the vehicle was taken. It shows him and another youth with the van. The youth was originally charged but found not guilty.

"The Royal Mail are are not able to put a value on the vehicle. It did require some repairs because the keys were never discovered so it needed new locks and a new ignition."

The court heard Deans who also admitted an unrelated offence of driving whilst disqualified had started committing crimes when he was just 11 and has 103 offences on his record including affray criminal damage, common assault, shoplifting, burglary and theft. He was on licence from jail for burglary at the time the Royal Mail van was stolen.

But Deans' lawyer Shirlie Duckworth said: "His own mother had difficulties coping with him and he almost simultaneously came to the attention of police.

"Since then there has been a revolving door ever since of appearing before the courts, some effort of community service commissioned, further offences and then him going in and out of custody.

"What shows a huge lack of maturity is the taking the pictures on a mobile phone only to be found by the police. The people he is with now are people he met in custody. He feels he's set up to fail."