With eerie similarity to life in modern day Islington, a 17-year-old was caught stealing a moped.

The boy, from Brecknock Road in Holloway, was hauled before Clerkenwell Magistrates’ and pleaded guilty to driving away the moped without the owner’s consent.

He was chased by police and cornered in a cul-de-sac in Hampstead.

At least he wasn’t using the moped to steal phones, though. He explained to the court: “I went home with a girl.

“I did not have enough for a taxi and was very tired.”

He was remanded in custody and told by magistrate Seymour Collins: “You might have done a great deal of damage as you are not a qualified driver.”

In other hilarious crime news, two brothers from Stoke Newington appeared in court after being caught thieving from Harlesden Shirt factory in Wolsey Road in the Mayville Estate.

One of them was spotted on the roof. Police found them with £142 worth of skirts.