A MOBILE phone thief was caught red-handed by new technology which traced the device, Selkirk Sheriff Court has heard.

Police officers were able to arrest Spanish hotel worker Antonio Carajaval after they followed the 21-year-old and saw him answer the stolen handset.

The incident happened following a private function in the Burgh Hall in Peebles during the early hours of Sunday morning when a woman noticed her £210 phone had disappeared from her handbag.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said: “It was just after midnight when the woman noticed her handbag had been moved.

“It was later found in the foyer and the phone had gone.

“Her husband activated some software which allowed them to put a trace on the whereabouts of the phone.

“The Park Hotel came up where the accused was working.

“It then showed the phone was in the Eastagte and the accused was followed as he was recognised as being at the function.

“The police were notified and the accused was spotted standing at a bus stop. The phone was phoned and he took it out of his pocket as it was ringing - the police saw him do this and he was arrested.” Defence lawyer Stephanie Clinkscale said: “He says he found the mobile phone in a toilet cubicle. “He had the intention of returning it to the owner but he could not access the pass code to find out who owned it, so he did not have a way of contacting the owner.

“He did not have the intention of keeping the phone but did not hand it into the police. He does not have any previous convictions.” Relief hotel worker Carajaval - from Seville but who is living at a hostel in Edinburgh - appeared from custody at Selkirk Sheriff Court and was fined £150 after admitting theft.