News Robbed lead from historic empty house
A man who stole lead from the roof of an historic building said he was roped into it while walking his dog.
Nineteen-year-old Paul Storey claimed three men talked him into stealing lead from New Potter Grange near the M62 motorway junction 36.
The unemployed father-of-one helped load three large pieces of lead into the back of a van after they were stolen from the roof of the house. Police arrived at the scene but, by that time the three other men had scarpered, leaving Mr Storey to take the rap.
Mr Storey appeared at Goole Magistrates' Court this week accused of burglary.
A separate charge of disturbing bats which were nesting in the loft of the house was withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service.
John Owston, prosecuting, said that when police arrived at the scene there were three large pieces of lead in an Astra van.
Mr Storey was the only one left at the scene but, when he was quizzed by police, he told them he had come across the three men while he had been walking his dog. He claimed the three men offered him £30 to load lead into the van, which he agreed to do even though he knew it was stolen.
When asked if he had been on the roof Mr Storey, of Phoenix Street in Goole, said he had entered the building through an unlocked door in a bid to steal the lead.
None of the other three men has so far been arrested.
The incident was just the latest in a series of lead thefts in the region - many of them from church roofs - which have led to various prosecutions of individuals.
At the time when Mr Storey was caught at New Potter Grange, it is believed that thousands of pounds worth of lead had been stolen.
Mr Owston said the total value of missing lead was £3,500. Tiles valued at £4,000 had been removed - but later recovered - and slates worth £2,000 were taken.
He added, however, that it was not certain whether all the lead was taken in this crime or in previous ones.
The court was told that the New Potter Grange house, a large Victorian building which has become derelict, had been listed for demolition.
Mr Owston said the only thing that was preventing it being bulldozed was the fact that bats were nesting in the loft. He added that a company intending to develop the site had been granted planning permission to build an alternative nesting place for the bats.
Mr Owston said police arrived at the scene after being alerted to "nefarious goings-on there", and saw four men running from an Astra van.
"They were only able to catch one of them, who was Mr Storey," said Mr Owston.
Magistrates gave him a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £43 prosecution costs.
Published on 5th June 2008 in News.
Add to: Digg | del.icio.us | Reddit
Comments
There are currently no comments
Comment
All comments are subject to moderation (during normal office hours) and may be amended.
Email addresses are required for administration purposes only.
By contributing your comments, you accept our terms and conditions.