Poppy Appeal tin thieves used children as shop decoys, Loughborough court told
A gang of thieves used children to distract shop assistants as they stole charity tins.
Lisa Martin and partner Lee Smith teamed up with a third person, Gareth Smith, to shoplift and steal Poppy Appeal tins which had been put in stores by the Royal British Legion, magistrates in Loughborough were told yesterday.
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Poppy Appeal tin thieves used children as shop decoys, Loughborough court told
All three pleaded guilty at the court to offences of theft, which included charity boxes.
Chairman of the bench Dale Jackson told the trio: "Some of your offences included stealing from poppy donation boxes, which is socially repugnant.
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"This was organised, a gang. You sometimes took children with you. This was professional offending."
Dr Jackson committed the gang to Leicester Crown Court for sentencing because the bench felt its powers were not enough to deal with the matter.
Prosecutor Sally Bedford told how the trio had gone out to steal from shops as a gang, sometimes taking a five-year-old girl and an eight-year-old boy with them.
She said the gang struck at shops and supermarkets in Ashby, Shepshed, Loughborough and Birstall.
Miss Bedford said the team struck at the Asda supermarket in Shepshed on November 12.
"The group was identified on CCTV," she said.
"Children are with them. One child was sat on a counter to conceal their movements.
"On this occasion alcohol worth £300 – mostly vodka – was stolen."
Miss Bedford said the gang also stole charity boxes by using either scissors or pliers to cut a chain used to hold the tins to the till areas.
She said: "Members of the public made their donations at the time of the year. These monies were stolen, monies that would otherwise have gone to the Royal British Legion."
Lee Smith (38), of Warwick Way, Loughborough, pleaded guilty to 12 offences of theft from shops between August 1 and November 16.
These offences included stealing five Royal British Legion charity tins.
Martin (33), of Warwick Way, Loughborough, admitted eight offences between August 1 and November 12.
Two of these offences included Royal British Legion charity tins.
Gareth Smith (29), of Waterside Close, Loughborough, pleaded guilty to six offences between August 9 and November 12.
These offences included stealing three Royal British Legion.
Jay Morjaria, representing Gareth Smith, said his client, who had 78 previous offences, had a drug and alcohol problem. Jane Hinds, for Lisa Martin, said her client had pleaded guilty and had only been involved in the theft of two charity tins.
Mrs Hinds, also representing Lee Smith, said he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. They will be sentenced at Leicester Crown court on December 17.
Comments
by heisspartacus
Wednesday, December 05 2012, 10:25PM
“sansue - I think it is not the actual content rather the language in which a comment is expressed that may cause a removal. There are exceptions of course.
So to the "Hang em high, put the scum down" and similar expressions of condemnation brigade. Do you think you have the monopoly on a sense of revulsion? It is hard to conceive of a more reprehensible criminal act than this for all the reasons already mentioned that does not involve physical harm. To that end the highest penalty prescribed by law should apply.
To those asking for the death penalty, what punishment for murder?
Once again I say it is the way people express their opinions”
by sansue
Wednesday, December 05 2012, 10:05PM
“Amazing. You can call people lowlife scum, but point out that such language and views do not add anything to the debate and your message gets removed. Roll on the sale of this right wing rag to a new owner.....................”
by jollybates
Wednesday, December 05 2012, 1:01AM
“Bearing in mind the work the The British Legion do, is this classed as treason? And..........they have not only stolen from The BL but also us, who have put into the boxes! Scum! Wear your poppy with pride, and then some scum-bag nicks the proceeds to feed a drug problem. All I say is remember your grandparents. They, and possibly some of your friends, went to the various wars in order to protect us and safeguard us, so that we may live a free life. Those that were injured, and the families that suffered bereavement may have some solace in that they may be able to afford fares to hospital visits and care for those left behind.
But forget that, lets just get high for a night!
I hate to say it. but let the army sort them out! Then they KNOW what is is like. Gonna be quite now! But....... so much more I would like to say.”
by PLYMFOX01
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 6:23PM
“Sick lowlife scum, thats all I have to say on this.”
by karinfall1955
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 6:09PM
“@New Walk View. Your response is a very civilized and measured one. However, I think people are less inclined to try to understand a person that seems fundamentally to be a waste of good oxygen when charities are involved. The theft is deeply repugnant and I'm sure there are people dependent on drugs or who are truly 'feeling the pinch' who would still not stoop so low. There has perhaps been too much 'understanding' of late and not enough retribution.”
by New_Walk_View
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 5:24PM
“Hard to disagree that stealing from charity - particularly in a planned, calculated way - is `socially repugnant'. The Chairman of the Magistrates has it spot-on.
That said, while it might make us feel better simply to say `string `em up', it doesn't take us very far forward.
In cases like this where drug addiction is offered as a mitigating factor, one can't help wondering at what point the perpetrator ceased caring about the social (and legal) consequences of his/her actions; if, indeed, they ever cared and what role the appetite for drugs actually plays.
This is completely uncharted territory for me - as I suspect it is to most people. But before I write to my MP asking him to increase the penalties for drug-related theft, I feel I ought, at least, to get some sort of answer to these questions from someone who might have some practical experience or insight. Does anyone?”
by joe-bloggs
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 12:42PM
“the lowest of the low.cannot get much lower .BUT, people know who they are and where they live .society.”
by Graham_LE8
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 12:23PM
“Quote: "his client, who had 78 previous offences, had a drug and alcohol problem"...
Can anyone elucidate what use Gareth Smith is to society, other than keep Mr Morjaria in employment?”
by bikeresteban
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 12:08PM
“PUT THE SCUM DOWN”
by gailkay
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 11:55AM
“HANG EM HIGH”