An actress has given a standing ovation to West Midlands Police officers who found her purse − swiped as she prepared for a premiere − after rummaging through bins in Coventry city centre.
Chloe Edwards-Wood was left devastated when her iPhone and purse containing a precious family photo were stolen on September 5 just hours before she was due on stage in Roll Over Beethoven at the Belgrade Theatre.
Officers tracked her phone to the Counden Road area and the home address of prolific thief Paul Grattan.
A search of his flat revealed the handset on top of a bedroom wardrobe, while the 51-year-old admitted to dumping the purse in a city centre bin.
And less than an hour later officers recovered the purse in a roadside bin near Lamb Street with the photograph intact.
Chloe, from London said: “I was preparing for our opening night when I realised my purse had been stolen. It was upsetting as I keep a photo in the sleeve of the purse of myself with my mum when I was just five-years-old…it’s the only copy I have.
“Thankfully the officers got news to me before I went on stage that they’d got the phone back − that was a huge relief − and I couldn’t believe it when they later said they’d found the purse in a bin!
“It was fantastic they’d managed to recover my things and find the man responsible all within a few hours…I’m extremely grateful for their help."
Grattan (pictured) appeared at Coventry Magistrates Court on September 6 where he jailed for eight weeks after admitting stealing the items. It was the latest in a string of offences − largely for sneak-in thefts − that’s seen him rack up almost 70 convictions.
Investigating officer PC Gavin Crockwell, (pictured above with Chloe), said: “Grattan told us roughly where he’d dumped the purse…our officers rummaged through a few bins before finding it covered in rubbish. Sometimes we have to get our hands dirty!
“I’m delighted we were able to reunite Chloe with her purse and phone so quickly…the photo clearly meant a lot to her."
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