Burglar had stolen goods stolen when he went back for more

A burglar raided a town centre pub only to have his ill-gotten gains stolen by two other thieves while he went back for more. David Douglas Greaves, 43, made off with two cash tills and three plasma TVs from The Railway pub in Accrington, Lancashire. However, Greaves soon fell victim to thieves himself after the items were stolen from a neighbouring car park where he had stashed them while he went back for more, Burnley Crown Court heard. Stephen Parker, prosecuting, told the court how local CCTV showed Greaves with a ‘look of confusion’ when he came back out and found the items missing.

He said: “The CCTV showed the defendant emerging from the pub removing two cash tills, going back inside and coming back out with three plasma televisions wrapped in bags. He left them on a car park before going back into the pub. While he does so, two people see some of these items and make off with the defendant’s swag. The police aren’t convinced they were acting as a group by the look of confusion on the defendant’s face.” The incident happened shortly after 7am on Friday, May 23. Mr Parker told the court how landlord Tony Shirley heard banging from upstairs and when he came down into the pub noticed various items were missing.



He went into the back alley and saw Greaves wearing a high-visibility jacket walking down the street with a stolen bottle of Benedictine liqueur, the court heard. Mr Shirley called police and followed Greaves until they arrived and arrested him. Greaves was found to be wearing a backpack containing screwdrivers, a hammer, chisels and a spanner. Mr Parker told the court all the stolen items were recovered. Philip Holden, defending, said Greaves said he had not broken his way into the pub and said he had the backpack of tools on him as he was ‘going to do some work elsewhere’.

He said: “He’s an unusual character. He is really rather an intelligent man but is really in the grips of alcoholism. He badly needs help.” Mr Parker said the two men who had taken the items had admitted theft and had previously been dealt with. After the hearing, the Crown Prosecution Service said the matter had been dealt with by use of a police resolution. Greaves, who pleaded guilty to one count of burglary, has spent one month in custody on remand. He was committed to prison for nine months, suspended for 12 months with a 12-month supervision requirement, a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.