A thief who chose to grab a cellular phone from Guyana’s international long distance athlete Cleveland Forde saw the error of his ways when the runner chased him down and caught him, the court heard yesterday.

Wesson Hinds, 21, a confectionary vendor of 196 D’Andrade Street, Newtown was fined $50,000 when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Hinds, who had initially pleaded not guilty, later changed his plea to guilty and said he was sorry he had committed the offence.

Hinds snatched the phone worth $40,000 from Forde on December 19 at Regent and King streets.

Forde who was also present in court said that on the day in question he was walking along Regent Street. He was about to send a text message when Hinds approached him, said “gimme dah phone” and snatched it. He said Hinds then started to run, and he gave chase. He caught up with him at the Brickdam Cathedral.

Forde told the court that he wanted his cell phone back as he was leaving for the US very soon on a scholarship.

The magistrate subsequently ordered that Hinds pay the fine or spend 12 months in prison.