A thief was caught fast asleep in the cab of a lorry used to drive a stolen trailer away from a Nottinghamshire business. Derby Crown Court heard how 53-year-old drug addict Timothy Green was a member of a gang that stole two high-value vehicles filled with goods from FLX Logistics in Fulwood Road South, Huthwaite.
As reported by Derbyshire Live, the group was filmed on CCTV taking the first one and then returning for a second which the defendant drove to a unit that was rented under a false name. But when police officers arrived there later that morning they found Green sleeping behind the driver’s wheel.
Jailing him for 15 months, Recorder Adrian Reynolds said: “Your life is just a succession of prison sentences. You come out of prison, go back on the drugs, then go back to prison, you don’t seem to learn anything.
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“I am struggling to see any obvious evidence that you even try to change your life. What you got yourself involved in that night was a serious criminal enterprise.
“It was professional, well thought-out, involved a significant number of people and you played a crucial role. I don’t accept for one moment you performed a limited function but I do bear in mind nothing was successfully removed and all of the property was recovered. But that’s no thanks to you.”
Hal Ewing, prosecuting, said a gang broke into the yard of FLX Logistics at around 4.30am on July 1, 2021. He said the incident was captured on CCTV and showed the group stealing one trailer and then returning to take a second one.
The prosecutor said: “The defendant was driving one of these away and it was taken to a site which was rented to a false company. He was found the next morning asleep in the cab and gave false details when he was arrested.
“The value of the goods in each trailer were £23,000 and the trailers themselves were valued at £15,000 to £20,000, however, everything was recovered.” Green, of Castle Hill, Eckington, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and has a long list of previous convictions including 25 for theft alone, Mr Ewing said.
Richard Canning, mitigating, said: “The reason for the offence is that he was hopelessly addicted to drugs at the time and was clearly taken advantage of by others. That is the reason why he was asleep in the cab. No-one else was there.
“Happily, in custody, he has come off drugs and come off medication so this has been a blessing in disguise somewhat.”
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