Raiders' rap slammed
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by Amanda Bradbury • Two HGV operators who helped police catch wouldbe thieves breaking into a £22,000 Volvo FL7 tipper have spoken out against the leniency of the sentence which the raiders received.
Gary Neal and James McGeever were each ordered by Chatham magistrates to do 200 hours corn Triunity service and to pay compensation to the vehicle's owner of £40 each to cover repairs. They were convicted of attempted theft, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
But the tipper's owners, Eric and son Alan Williams, directors of Gravesend-based Williams Aggregates Supplies, says the compensation does not even cover the cost of repairing the tipper's window, broken by the thieves. That repair alone cost Williams £100 and his compensation award does not take into account three hours' downtime which cost another £200.
Williams shares his yard with Ian and Barry Henderson, who run building trade supplier Minimix. It was Barry Henderson who found one of the thieves in the cab of Williams' vehicle after spotting one of the raiders on closed circuit TV.
The truck is fitted with a £700 immobiliser which takes 30 minutes to disable without a key. The police were alerted and arrested the two men in the yard.
Williams is unhappy that the two men have walked free: "The last time I had a vehicle stolen I had to lay a man off," he says. "I couldn't afford to run two vehicles and not drive myself, even though I am near retirement now.
"I feel small operators like myself have become whipping boys," he adds. "Even though the police have done a good job in this case, the courts have not helped protect me."