Swag bag? More like split bin liner
Bungling burglars drop cash haul over floor
Burglars bungled a night time raid on a chemist when their swag bag burst spilling money all over the floor, a court heard.
Brothers Daniel and Barry Murphy fled with just £700 in a red Jaguar S Type car but were caught soon afterwards.
Wearing ski masks and gardening gloves, the pair, from Maidstone, smashed their way into Boots in Edenbridge High Street at 12.30am on January 24.
Maidstone Crown Court was told Barry Murphy, 46, used a screwdriver to open tills and tipped cash into a bin bag held by his 36-year-old brother.
“The bin liner split, causing some of the money to fall to the floor,” said prosecutor Trevor Wright.”They grabbed what they could, stuffed it into the bag and drove away.”
After a neighbour reported them police boxed in their car. The store had to close for half a day to clean up and for repairs to be carried out.
Daniel Murphy, whose four bedroom home in Shepherds Gate Drive, Grove Green, is valued at almost £500,000, had old convictions for commercial burglaries.
But he escaped jail after a judge said prison would have a harmful impact on his wife and young child.
Barry Murphy, of Marion Crescent, Maidstone, failed to attend for sentence and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He is said to be working on an oil rig.
Tom Dunn, for Daniel Murphy, said the offence happened due to financial uncertainty after being laid off. He had £63,000 debts and couldn’t keep his lifestyle. Judge Charles Macdonald QC suspended six months imprisonment for a year, ordered 100 hours unpaid work and £320 costs.