Thief stole shop fitters’ equipment
A tradesman working through the night on the refit of a Sunderland department store’scosmeticsdepartment became the victim of an opportunist thief.
James Roney, 33, seized the chance to enter a lorry at therearofDebenhamsatThe Bridges in the early hours of March 28, Sunderland magistrates heard.
ProsecutorLesleyBurgess said: “The complainant is a shop fitter by trade and had recently been working with his colleagues on a refit in the cosmetics department in Debenhams in The Bridges.
“They had been working throughout the night to finishtheworkaheadofthestore opening for customers that morning.
“As part of the work, a number of lorries were parked behind the shop.
“One vehicle was in a loading bay at the back of Debenhams.
“Inside was a large Bosch sander.
“The rear doors of the vehicle and the store had been left open to allow easy access for workers who were going back and forth.
“At 3.45am security staff monitoringtheCCTVsystem saw Mr Roney in the loading area.
“He was observed looking through skips, before he was seencarryingalargeboxfrom the vehicle.
“Suspecting it had been stolen, security contacted police.”
The court heard officers withapolicedogwerenearby, saw Roney trying to hide the box around the corner and detained him.
He told them: “I’m caught bangtorights.Thereisnoway I’m going to run away from that dog.”
Mr Allen identified the box, and Roney told him “it’s all in there”.
Roney, of Sea Road, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to theft of the sander – worth £300 – from a motor vehicle.
Hehas30previousconvictions on his record,
Jason Smith, defending, said it was an opportunist offence.
“James was walking past andhasseentheitemswithin the open vehicle. It was an incredibly stupid act.”
Roney was sentenced to a conditional discharge for 12 months, and was told to pay £85 costs and a £20 surcharge.