Film critic caught in camera theft

slamdunk-201214A local film critic has been fined after admitting to theft of cameras from Sheffield’s local TV channel, Sheffield Live.

Van Connor, whose real name is Sherief Fekry, aged 31, of Birdwood Road, Grimesthorpe, pleaded guilty at Sheffield Magistrates Court and was fined £83 and ordered to pay £85 costs.

The two cameras, together worth over £5,000, were taken from Sheffield Live TV during Fekry’s weekly film review radio programme, Slam Dunk Cinema. Sheffield Live recovered one of the cameras from eBay and the other was later found when police raided Fekry’s home.

Fekry has been a regular producer and presenter on Sheffield Live community radio since he launched his Slam Dunk Cinema programme in August 2011. He also writes film reviews, under the name Van Connor, for Exposed Magazine.

Steve Buckley, Chair of Sheffield Live TV, said: “We were shocked to find two of our cameras missing from our broadcast studios just ten weeks after launching Sheffield’s local TV channel and we have been determined to get to the bottom of it. Following a police investigation, we now know that Mr Fekry, who we had known as Van Connor, used his trusted access to our facilities to steal valuable broadcast equipment and to attempt to sell it on eBay. We are very grateful to South Yorkshire Police for their support and assistance.”

Sheffield Live confirmed that it has cancelled the Slam Dunk Cinema radio programme and Fekry is no longer involved with the channel.