Thieves caught using wheelie bins in Wisbech park to steal bags of cement and sand

THIEVES at Wisbech Park were caught red handed as they loaded stolen bags of cement and sand into wheelie bins. They were trying to drag the bins alongside the tennis courts when a PCSO arrived and chased them away. A witness had seen males in hooded top

THIEVES at Wisbech Park were caught red handed as they loaded stolen bags of cement and sand into wheelie bins.

They were trying to drag the bins alongside the tennis courts when a PCSO arrived and chased them away.

"A witness had seen males in hooded tops taking items from the Town Park, they were acting suspiciously," Fenland magistrates were told by prosecutor Nicola Rice.

"They took yellow bags through the wire fencing, one male was standing by the gate as a lookout."

Police were alerted and the PCSO first on the scene saw five males running from the tennis courts.

Christopher Swain and a youth were detained, and Swain admitted stealing the bags of cement and sand that belonged to Fenland District Council.

Swain was jailed for eight weeks after saying he wanted a jail sentence to give him the chance to detox from drugs.

Ms Rice said: "He (Swain) had been to the toilets near the tennis courts and saw the bags. He climbed through a hole in the fence, and moved the bags near to the hole, where he was joined by others.

"They loaded up wheelie bins and tried to drag them, a PCSO arrived as they were doing that, and they ran away."

Swain, 24, who is homeless, admitted stealing the building materials on March 2. He also admitted stealing a box set of DVDs from the QD store in Wisbech on April 13, while on bail.

Solicitor James Macwhirter, mitigating, said: "This theft was nonsense, bordering on idiotic.

"What these young men thought they were going to do with half a dozen bags of cement and sand defies belief.

"There is nothing more likely to draw attention than young men pushing wheelie bins; it was a complete and utter nonsense.