A CRICKLADE man has been jailed for two years for his role in stealing thousands of pounds worth of equipment from a global electronics supplier.

Last week, John Lee, 41, and his accomplice Craddoc Lee, 35, from Romsey, pleaded guilty at Swindon Crown Court to a number of charges, including the thefts, from the Tamura depot in Calne in November 2014.

The court heard how the two offenders broke into the industrial yard and stole 56 electrical generators worth more than £30,000 which they hid at Bourne Lake travellers’ site near Ashton Keynes.

Police found the goods at the site along with 1,300 bottles of stolen wine and prosecco, four stolen vehicles and large amounts of cash.

Det con Andy Henson said: “From November 2014 a team of detectives has been working on this case which, as it has developed, transpires to have involved a large amount of stolen goods and criminal activity.

"It is due to the hard work of everyone on the team that we have secured these convictions and subsequent sentencing results - which I welcome.

"Both men have been stopped from carrying out crimes for quite some time.

"I hope this result sends a message that crime does not pay and sooner or later we will catch anyone who indulges in such a life-style."

In sentencing, Judge Taylor said: "Thanks to good old police work, the trail led to Bourne Lake travellers’ site where the stolen tipper truck and the 56 generators were recovered.

“I take the view the tipper truck was stolen in order to carry out the theft at Tamura.

"It would have been obvious that the lorry was stolen; it was not displaying any number plates, the signage had been obliterated and the engine had been hot-wired.

"When the police arrived, the engine was still running and it was in the process of unloading the stolen generators and gas canisters.

"The value of lorry and generators had a combined value of £39,000.

"Subsequent investigations into Mr John Lee’s finances revealed a balance of £26,000 and deposits of over £55,000.

"Both of you denied the offences when interviewed.

"John Lee, you have a history of dishonesty; Craddoc Lee, you are more lightly convicted but have been proven to be dishonest in the past." 

Craddoc Lee was given a four month prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and a night time curfew for five months.