Gang stole hundreds of sewing machines worth £30,000 while lorry driver slept in Coalville layby

Three thieves were caught in the act while stealing more than 200 sewing machines out of the back of a lorry. The lorry driver had pulled over on Stephenson Way in Coalville^[1] to sleep.

Five hours later, at about 1.30am, he was woken by Leicestershire Police^[2] officers. The curtain side of the lorry had been cut open by three thieves and the Singer sewing machines had been taken out and transferred to a box van.

More police were called in. A search for the culprits began.

The first, Brett Riley, was found by a police dog as he hid in a bush with a six-inch blade. The Doncaster resident tried to claim he always slept in a bush in Leicestershire and denied having anything to do with the theft.

The second man, John Stray, was found trying to hide up a ladder behind the B&M store in the Whitwick Retail Park and the third man, David Holdham, was found nearby in the Morrisons car park, inside a shopping trolley shed, where he claimed he was chopping down trees. He had some cocaine on him.

Riley, 27, of Alder Grove, Doncaster, admitted theft, criminal damage and having a bladed article. Stray, 20, of Exeter Road, Doncaster, admitted theft, and Holdham, 32, of Hereford Road, Doncaster, admitted theft, criminal damage and possession of class A drugs.

They all appeared at Leicester Crown Court^[4] on Friday for sentencing. Prosecutor Ben Gow described how Leicestershire Police had been alerted about the defendants' box van because it had been spotted near Junction 22 of the M1 with false numberplates on the evening of November 23, 2021.

When police stopped in the layby they disturbed the theft as it was taking place. A total of 218 sewing machines worth £30,346 had already been removed from the lorry and loaded into the van by that time.

Mr Gow said four holes had been cut into the curtain side of the lorry so that the sewing machines could be removed. He said Holdham and Stray both made no comment in their police interviews.

Mr Gow said: "Mr Riley has a rather bizarre account. He said he was of no fixed abode and was sleeping in the bush.

"When challenged about sleeping the bush he said it was a free country. He claimed he got a free breakfast from the nearby cafe."

The court heard Stray had previous convictions for dishonesty and drug matters, while Holdham had offences including criminal damage, battery and failing to stop at the scene of an accident on his record.

Sam Sharpe, for Riley, said his client was remorseful and had only been 18 at the time of the incident. Lucia Harrington, for Holdham, said that while her client had got involved in the theft willingly, he had been dealing with drug addiction and depression. Stray was not represented in court but told the judge he was now in full-time work.

Recorder Mark Watson, sentencing, told the defendants: "Each of you involved yourselves in what was a clearly planned theft. You got in by damaging the lorry and stole sewing machines to a value of more than £30,000."

Riley was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months. He will also had to do 200 hours unpaid work and pay £150 court costs. Stray was given 14 months youth detention, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, spend 15 days working with probation and pay £500 court costs.

Holdham was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months. He will also have to do 15 days work with the probation service and pay £150 court costs.

References

1. ^{^} Coalville (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Leicestershire Police (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Eyewitness describes hearing row before Caragh Eaton fell to ground with fatal injuries (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Leicester Crown Court (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)