Shropshire man convicted over stolen dumper trucks

Andrew Hubbard received a phone call from a stranger offering him equipment after he let it be known that he needed a dumper truck, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.

He paid £1,000 for the truck, and then bought another dumper truck and a roller when called by the same man a few days later.

Hubbard, who runs Telford-based ground working firm Madeley Construction Contract Services Ltd, admitted three counts of receiving stolen goods – namely two dumper trucks and a double drum roller – between July 22 and September 2 last year. He will be sentenced on September 4.

Mr Rob Edwards, prosecuting told the court that Hubbard received a telephone call from a man he did not know offering him a dumper truck at a 'ludicrously cheap' price. Knowing he needed one for the work he wanted to do at his home he paid £1,000 for it.

The Thwaites Dumper truck, which belonged to Eagle Plant Ltd, was worth in the region of £10,000, the court was told.

"A few days later he received another phone call from the same man offering him another dumper truck and a roller. Again he bought them,"

said Mr Edwards.

"The matter came to light when a tracker, fitted to one of the dumper trucks, was activated and the police were alerted.

"They went along to the scene and found the items. There was a dumper truck which had been stolen from a building site at the Thomas Telford School, worth £10,000, a Brentford dumper truck belonging to M Lambe Construction worth £15,000 and taken from a building site in Lawley and a double drum roller stolen from a site in Forest Glen, Lawley, which was worth £11,000.

"The total value was £36,000. The defendant was arrested and interviewed and he explained he had received a telephone call from an unknown man who offered him the machinery at a price he could not refuse. He gave little regard as to whether they were stolen."

Mr Stephen Cadwaladr, for Hubbard said that he was totally ashamed by his actions.

"He is an honest businessman and ground worker but for the stupidity that he showed on this occasion he would still be an upstanding and honest man, said Mr Cadwaladr. "To carry that loss of reputation is hard and causes him shame.

"He has not benefited from this whole exercise. He fell into temptation. The items were recovered in the same state they were in when he received them."

Recorder Mr Nigel Daly told Hubbard, of Stoneyford Passage, Tyrley Lane, Market Drayton: "You paid £2,500 for this machinery which was worth £36,000. You only had them for a matter of days or weeks.

"I accept that in regard to the first item you had someone calling you. With regard to the other items he realised he had found someone who would give him money for those items."