Bar burglars seen dragging haul of tools along street
COUNCIL CCTV OPERATOR TOLD POLICE ABOUT SUSPICIOUS PAIR
TWO burglars stole £1,890 worth of power tools from a bar, but were spotted dragging them down the street in a big bag and arrested.
Mobius Bar, in Braunstone Gate, Leicester, was being renovated when Toni Hall and her accomplice smashed a window to climb inside at 11.45pm on June 11 last year.
At Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Monday, she pleaded guilty to the burglary.
The court heard how an eagleeyed Leicester City Council CCTV operator spotted the pair 50 minutes after the break-in, as they dragged their haul along nearby Western Road, in Leicester’s West End.
The CCTV operator called Leicestershire Police, which went to investigate. The pair were arrested on the spot.
Footage from security cameras at the pub later proved they had been the ones who entered the premises.
Describing the break-in, prosecutor Kwok Wan said: “At 11.45pm there was entry made into Mobius Bar in Braunstone Gate in Leicester, causing £300 or damage to a window.
“A male and a female went inside, and Miss Hall is recorded pulling down panels.
“Power tools were taken, and they left at 12.30pm. Five minutes later, Leicester city CCTV captured them walking along Western Road dragging a large container of equipment. “The tools were recovered. They would have been of great value to the workmen for whom they were a means of earning a living.”
Mr Wan said Hall had 26 previous offences on her record, including drug matters and another “non-dwelling” burglary in 2018. Chris Black, representing Hall, said that because his client was homeless at the time, she would steal to buy drugs including amphetamines, which helped her stay awake all night when
she had nowhere to sleep. Mr Black added: “She no longer associates with her co-accused. The situation is now different.
“She is living in assisted housing in Coalville and a support worker comes with the accommodation.”
It has taken almost 18 months for the case of Hall, 32, of London Road, Coalville, to reach court, partly because she had moved house and her court summons was sent to an old address, the hearing was told.
After she failed to show up at court, a warrant was issued for her arrest. She later found out about the
warrant and surrendered to custody on Sunday.
Her co-accused has already been dealt with, and the court heard he had been given a 12-month community order.
Hall was sentenced to a 12-month community order, including 15 days of working with the probation service to prevent further offending, and 170 hours of unpaid work.
She was also ordered to pay the owners of the pub, which has since shut, £300 compensation for the damage to the window that was broken.
CCTV captured them walking along Western Road dragging a large container of equipment Prosecution