Thief caught red-handed stealing tools

DAVID Francis was caught red-handed stealing power tools and equipment from a former NHS building and a furniture business after the victims snapped him on their mobile phones.

The former NHS building on Whalley Road in Clayton-leMoors, which at the time was being turned into a house, was broken into at around 6.40pm on July 1 last year.

The court heard how Tariq Ali, who was employed as a builder, went to check on the property and arrived to find Francis climbing out of an upstairs window onto a ledge holding a plaster mixer.

Mr Ali took a picture of him on his iPhone before Francis climbed back inside and fled through a rear door.

Around £600 worth of tools, including a plaster gun and several drills, were stolen and officers later identified Francis from the phone picture.

Prosecutor David Toal said Francis later broke into furniture manufacturers MA Platts Ltd at Lodge Mill on Victoria Street in Accrington on October 16.

Managing director Christopher Heyes arrived at 10am to find the roller shutters forced open and £2,900 worth of power tools missing.

The court heard how a vending machine had also been forced open and emptied and ‘human excrement was found on the stairwell’.

Mr Toal said Mr Heyes left the mill and tried to re-trace Francis’ escape route along a path next to a canal. The court heard how he soon found Francis moving items from a large bin into a Vauxhall Zafira before fleeing the scene.

Mr Heyes photographed the car as it left and reported it to the police. Officers later found Francis’ DNA on a plastic drinks bottle seized from inside the mill.

In a separate incident Francis was found guilty of stealing a friend’s bank card and using it to withdraw cash. The court heard how Francis had been at a friend’s house on Barnes Street in Accrington on August 8 and at one point was left alone inside.

Mr Toal said the defendant went into a woman’s handbag and stole her bank card and a piece of paper with the pin number written on it.

He then went to a nearby One Stop Shop and made two cash withdrawals totalling £220.

The court heard how Francis was arrested four days later and claimed the victim had given him permission as she owed him cash.