Thief caught using cabbie's phone

The burglar used the sim card from his victim's mobile phone

A man who burgled a taxi driver's home was caught when he used the victim's mobile phone to order a cab from the firm he worked for, a court heard.

Driver Don Smith from Torquay, Devon, said it was very fortunate the call operator had recognised the number and contacted police.

Jake Ormerod, 18, from Torquay, pleaded guilty to burglary and other offences at Torbay Magistrates' Court.

He will be sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on 20 July.

The 53-year-old victim told the court his car keys and a laptop were also stolen from his home and his Vauxhall Zafira was taken and later found abandoned in a nearby street.

He said it was a "million-to-one chance" Ormerod would use the Sim card from the phone to contact his victim's taxi company.

Ormerod also pleaded guilty to two charges of theft from a motor vehicle, being a passenger of a vehicle without consent, theft of a rucksack and shoplifting.