Two men were caught on CCTV using a Honda truck to ram raid a Scunthorpe firm and steal a high pressure washer worth £5,000, a court heard.
They later tried to get away towing the heavy plant machinery on a trailer which nearly collided with a pursuing police car.
At Grimsby Crown Court, Owen Bonsall, 25, of Whitestone Road, Scunthorpe, and Damon Clark, 21, of Marlowe Road, Scunthorpe, admitted stealing the plant machinery on February 15 this year from Britcon on Normanby Gateway industrial estate in the town.
Defence barristers said it was “ham-fisted and unsophisticated.” But Judge Gurdial Singh said it was significantly planned and both had worn balaclavas with “the express purpose of stealing expensive equipment.”
Prosecuting, Ellen Boyes said CCTV cameras had captured the two men in a Honda truck ram the metal gates to Britcon compound shortly before midnight. The gates were flattened, before the pair hooked up the pressure washer on a trailer. She told how the trailer got snagged on the metal gates and they drove off. The men unhooked the stuck trailer from the gates and sped off.
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The prosecutor said the getaway vehicle and trailer were spotted by patrolling police officer PC Southern who trailed the vehicle along Phoenix Parkway. He said he saw sparks coming from the vehicle which was swerving across the road during the high-speed pursuit.
Miss Boyes said the trailer almost collided with the police car. It pulled alongside the Honda and forced the getaway vehicle to stop. As the officer did so, the men got out and ran away.
They were soon captured by police officers and arrested. Miss Boyes said the theft had “significant planning” and the pair had gone equipped to steal the machinery. She said the damage to the gates cost around £2,200.
For Clark, Ben Hammersley said: “There was a degree of planning, but it was not sophisticated. It was a ham-fisted and simplistic offence.” He added his client could not explain why he got involved in such an “idiotic” act.
Judge Singh said: “He is in settled employment. Why on earth would he go around stealing heavy plant?”
Mr Hammersley said there was no clear reason why he did it as he is a hard-working man and the offence was out of character.
For Bonsall, Matthew Burdon said his client had been easily influenced by others and he accepted responsibility for the offence.
Judge Singh told the defendants: “You went out that evening with the express purpose of stealing expensive plant equipment. You went out in a truck and ram raided this business and hooked up the machinery to steal it and sell it for profit. This was criminality pure and simple.” The judge said he was unclear why Clark, the driver, had not been charged with dangerous driving. He added it was lucky the diesel generated pressure washer was recovered.
The judge imposed nine-month prison sentences on both men and suspended the sentences for 18 months. Both will have to perform 200 hours unpaid work in the community and pay £1,100 in compensation to Britcon at £100 per month.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
