Hotel burglars stole TV – and a bottle of orange
THIRSTY THIEVES SPARED JAIL AFTER GUILTY PLEA
BUNGLING burglars broke into a prominent city centre hotel and made off with orange juice and a TV.
Pals Thomas Tams and Connor Wilson broke into the basement of the Royal Station Hotel, on Newcastle’s Neville Street, in the early hours of April 4.
The pair were caught on camera helping themselves to a bottle of orange juice and then a TV from the staff room before making off back to their home on nearby Westgate Road.
They were also caught on CCTV still carrying the stolen goods as they entered their address 30 minutes after the break-in, South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court heard.
Now, Tams, 22, who has 100 past offences on his criminal record, and Wilson, 21, who has 24 offences, have both been given community orders after they pleaded guilty to one count of burglary of a nondwelling.
Tams also admitted a further, separate charge of theft after he stole £9 of coffee from a Starbucks store in Eldon Square later on the same day as the hotel burglary.
The court was told Tams and another male initially entered the basement of the Royal Station Hotel via a fire exit at 5.45am.
Having left the scene after picking up a bottle of orange juice, the men then returned with Wilson in tow a short while later, magistrates heard.
Prosecutors said the trio were seen to look around the basement and try opening doors before they grabbed a TV from the staff room and fled.
Tams and Wilson were then caught on camera carrying the TV as they entered their home on Westgate Road less than half an hour later.
Police subsequently identified them and they were arrested.
Mark Humble, for Tams, said: “There was never any real likelihood of him coming into contact with the residents of the hotel, and it was lowvalue goods that were stolen.
“It was a sneak-in burglary, that was not planned.”
Jonathan Pickford, representing Wilson, added: “It was a very unsophisticated offence. He was last before the court in November 2014. He is also 21 years old.”
Tams was given a three-month community order and must abide by a three-month curfew from 9pm until 7am, while Wilson must complete 140 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order.
Both men were also ordered to pay £50 compensation.