Burglars dropped stolen televisions after raid on Grimsby shop

TWO bungling burglars tried to escape with stolen televisions – but ended up dropping and breaking both of them – after a smash-and-grab raid on a shop, a court heard.

Sean Bunce, 32, of Elsenham Road, Grimsby, and Aaran Nelson, 26, of Ripon Street, Grimsby, admitted burglary at Samuel Neal Kitchens on January 22.

Nick Wyman, prosecuting, told Grimsby Magistrates’ Court that police were alerted after alarms sounded at the shop in the town’s Wellowgate just before 5am.

Banging noises were heard and both men tried to escape with 32-inch and 37-inch televisions balanced on bicycles. They also stole two memory sticks.

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One of the TVs fell off and one of the men walked off with it in his arms. They were challenged by police and dropped the televisions, causing them to smash. Their value was later put at £1,025, on top of the damage caused to the shop.

Andrew Havery, mitigating, said Bunce reverted to taking heroin after he did not receive his methadone prescription. He was attending the Drug Intervention Programme.

Sarah Middleton, representing Nelson, said her client claimed he was the lookout and was not the one who smashed a window. He helped remove the TVs and would have sold them. He was on methadone.

Bunce was given a 20-week suspended prison sentence. Both men were given a one-year supervision order, six months’ drug rehabilitation and must pay £100 compensation.