‘Professional’ trio caught trying to steal a second car

A TEAM of car thieves who travelled over the Pennines and tried to steal a Ford Fiesta ST in Elland have been jailed at Bradford Crown Court.

The trio were arrested by police officers last October with the help of members of the public who spotted the would-thieves running off when their attempts to drill into the parked car were interrupted.

Prosecutor Kristina Goodwin said the gang, wearing balaclavas, had been trying to locate the vehicle’s immobiliser. When police searched the car they had been using that night they found specialist equipment for unlocking vehicles.

The men were travelling in another Ford Fiesta ST which had been stolen – though the owner still had the keys.

Christopher Walsh, 31, of Further

Pits, Rochdale, Daniel Fearnley, 35, of Shaw Road, Rochdale, and Adam Linkman-Marsden, 27, of Equitable Street, Milnrow, were all arrested that night despite making attempts to hide in gardens and a secure compound.

The trio, all with previous convictions, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to steal vehicles and handling the stolen Ford Fiesta ST.

Walsh and Fearnley, who each had dozens of convictions, were jailed for two years and Linkman-Marsden was sentenced to 20 months in jail.

Jailing the men, Judge Jonathan Rose said there had been an element of professionalism about the offending and the defendants would have gone on to steal other vehicles had they not been arrested.