A WOULD-BE mechanic was told by magistrates to mend his ways.

The 17-year-old boy from Swindon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to three charges of theft and one charge of interfering with a motor vehicle.

He was convicted of stealing together with three other lads a satellite navigation system, coat, two hedge trimmers and a mountain bike.

Prosecutor Nick Barr told Swindon Youth Court that the lads were pursued from outside a house in Station Road, Chiseldon, by a resident woken up by his wife.

Mr Barr said: “He gives chase and finds them getting into a taxi.” Two police officers were flagged down and detained the men. Questioned by police, the lad could not give any reason for how he came to be in the taxi with the other men.

The court heard that the lad, who is currently halfway into an order to complete 48 hours of unpaid work, lives with his seriously sick father and hopes to become a mechanic.

Defence solicitor Jeremy Griffiths said: “This is a young man who’s got plans to improve himself. He accepts this behaviour is getting him nowhere.”

Magistrates gave the lad a 12-month Youth Rehabilitation Order, telling him to complete 24 hours’ of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge.

Chairman of the bench Mary Holland told the boy to change his behaviour: “18 means a lot of things in terms of the court system. Things get very much more serious when you’re 18. If you carry on in this ilk you could end up in the custodial system.”