George and Stephen Locke stole diggers and plant worth more than £450,000
TWO brothers who targeted building sites and storage depots from Llanelli to Pyle stealing plant worth more than £450,000 have been handed hefty jail sentences.
Stephen and George Locke used cutting equipment to break through fences, locks and gates, and vehicles with false plates to make-off with the equipment - most of which was quickly sold-on and has never been recovered.
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The brothers targeted construction sites, business premises, storage yards and even a cemetery, stealing everything from diggers and digger parts to tractors, ride-on mowers, welding equipment and power tools.
George Locke, aged 23, of Marsh Street, Aberavon, and 26-year-old Stephen Locke, of the Briton Ferry travellers site, had both previously pleaded guilty to some 23 offences of theft and attempted theft when they appeared in the dock today at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing.
Frank Phillips, for the prosecution, said police launched the investigation which led to the Locke siblings in May 2015 when the theft of high value plant and machinery from construction sites began to be reported.
Police uncovered a sophisticated operation with the brothers using a Transit van and a Mitsubishi Shogun and trailer along with Mercedes and BMW cars to research and carry out the raids on properties. The brothers gave a series of "no comment" interviews to police, but mobile phone data and CCTV footage tied the siblings and their vehicles to the break-ins. Police also found a number of universal keys used for starting commercial vehicles at Stephen Locke's caravan, as well as some of the stolen items.
The pair stole items from sites across South and West Wales including Swansea Enterprise Zone, Llandarcy, Baglan, Margam, Jersey Marine, Alltwen, Pontardawe, Aberkenfig and Llanelli.
Stephen Locke stole a Takeuchi digger belonging to Darlow Lloyd Construction on March 1 last year, an IHI excavator from Spencer Environmental Care Associates on March 19, a Kinshofer Demarec hydraulic grab from Barry Coslett Civil Engineering on March 19, a Takeuchi digger from Wales and West Utilities on March 31, a John Deere ride-on mower, Honda lawn mower, strimmer, leaf blower and hedge trimmer from Neath Port Talbot Council on May 1, four Lincoln Vantage welding machines from Red-d-Arc Welderentals on May 3, a JCB digger and hammer attachment from M&C Civils Ltd on May 9, tools and building equipment from Jones Brothers (Henllan) Ltd on May 12, tools and equipment from Cuddy Group on May 13, a Viking lawnmower, strimmer and leaf blower from Neath Port Talbot Council on May 14, tools and equipment from Alun Griffiths Contractors on May 17, a Kubota mini excavator from A-Plant on June 7, and tools and equipment from Jones Brothers (Henllan) Ltd on August 3.
George Locke was involved in the thefts on March 19, May 1, May 3, May 12 and August 3.
In addition, he stole a Takeuchi digger belonging to Evan Pritchard Ltd on March 28 last year, a John Deere ride-on mower from Neath Port Talbot Council on June 5, a Yanmar digger from CP Hire on June 27, and a Takeuchi mini-digger, two buckets and two hydraulic breakers from Wales and West Utilities on June 28. He also admitted attempting to steal a John Deere ride-on mover from Neath Port Talbot Council on June 5, and a John Deere ride-on mover from Swansea Bay Golf Club on June 27.
Steve Burnell, for Stephen Locke, said his client was a single man who was hoping to become a HGV driver.
Andrew Evans, for George Locke, said his client had two young children who had embarked on the course of criminality in order to provide for his family.
Judge Peter Heywood told the pair they had engaged in "systematic thefts that clearly involved a significant degree of planning", adding that very little of the stolen equipment had ever been recovered.
He sentenced them both to 40 months in prison, and imposed a further eight months on Stephen Locke because his theft spree had put him in breach of previously imposed suspended sentence from March 2015 for handling stolen goods.
The judge also ordered the seizure of the Transit and the Mitsubishi and trailer.
The court heard further legal action against the brothers under Proceeds of Crime laws would now be taken.
Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Brothers-jailed-stealing-450-000-worth-diggers/story-28925318-detail/story.html#ixzz44ZYaQ6gj
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