A BRAZEN thief has been snared after he stole a computer from the Civic Centre.

Radek Dostal admitted taking the computer from a self-serve room of the council building in Victoria Avenue, Southend.

This is the first successful investigation by Southend council's Corporate Fraud Team which was set up last June.

They received a report from staff on July 25 to say the desktop modem was missing.

CCTV footage showed Dostal,20, of Albany Avenue, Southend, was the last person to have used the room before the theft was discovered.

He then left the Civic Centre with something concealed under his jacket.

A dossier on the theft was passed to police and the defendant was arrested on Tuesday September 6.

Dostal appeared at Southend Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to theft and was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £189.79 compensation to the Council and £85 prosecution costs.