Digger thief caught out after driving past owner
47-YEAR-OLD STOLE UP TO £19,500 WORTH OF EQUIPMENT
A THIEF who stole two diggers and a wood chipper was caught red-handed after driving past the owner he stole from.
Richard Fox, 47, along with an accomplice, stole up to £19,500 of equipment from DH Turner Ltd in Brandesburton on August 1, 2019.
Driving a white transit van pulling a trailer carrying two diggers, Fox was caught out when he drove past the owner of the company on the Hull Bridge.
The owner became alarmed when he spotted his company logo emblazoned on a pick-up truck and the white van Fox was driving following behind.
He proceeded to pursue the vehicles and called his brother to check if the yard in Brandesburton had been broken into, confirming two diggers and a wood chipper had been stolen.
The police were called and the victim continued to pursue both vehicles towards Walkington and then through South Cave before travelling along the A63.
“He was alerted to the presence of an unmarked police vehicle,” said prosecuting barrister Catherine Kioko-gilligan, “and stopped his pursuit and left the scene.
“Officers pursued the white transit van and made attempts to cause the vehicle to stop.”
Police dash-cam footage showed officers pull up alongside the van pulling the two diggers.
Fox attempted to swerve on to the grass verge to avoid officers, which caused the trailer to almost tip over onto the motorway, before he stopped the vehicle.
He was arrested and when he was interviewed by officers at Clough Road Police station the following day Fox denied he had any involvement in the theft.
He claimed to have been paid £100 to drive the van to somewhere near Bridlington.
However, Fox, of Askern Road, in Bentley near Doncaster, appeared at Hull Crown Court on February 3 to be sentenced for theft and careless driving.
He appeared via video link from HMP Doncaster, where he is currently serving a 32-month sentence for an offence committed in October last year.
Ms Kioko-gilligan told the court that both diggers, valued at up £17,000 together, were recovered. However, the £2,500 wood chipper was not.
According to his barrister, Mr Cane-soothill, Fox’s life transcended into chaos after he once again became addicted to drugs.
“Prior to this offending the defendant had not been before the courts for significant matters since his conviction in 2012,” said mitigating
Cane-soothill.
“The obvious question is why did he reoffend? When he is not addicted to drugs, he conducts himself in a lawful manner.
“When he becomes addicted, his life descends into chaos and he commits offences. It is not mitigation, but perhaps an explanation as to why, being employed and avoiding the courts for all that time, he embarked on this sort of behaviour.
“He is thoroughly ashamed with how he behaves when he is addicted to drugs.”
Recorder Singh QC sentenced Fox to 18 months in prison to run concurrently with his current sentence. He has been disqualified from driving for two years. barrister
Mr