November 25, 2016 3.23 pm This story is over 87 months old

Man jailed after ‘inside job’ burglary on Lincoln industrial estate

An employee who acted as the “inside man” during a high value burglary on a Lincoln industrial estate was on Friday, November 25 jailed for 21 months. Paul Beall, 44, let raiders in to the unit occupied by building contractors Thomas Long and Sons on Lincoln’s Allenby Road industrial estate. The burglars escaped with property…

An employee who acted as the “inside man” during a high value burglary on a Lincoln industrial estate was on Friday, November 25 jailed for 21 months.

Paul Beall, 44, let raiders in to the unit occupied by building contractors Thomas Long and Sons on Lincoln’s Allenby Road industrial estate.

The burglars escaped with property valued at £13,600 including a dumper truck and generator after the crime was made to look like a break-in, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

The court heard Beall, a father-of-three from Southwell, Notts, told police a “pack of lies” during interview but later admitted his role in the burglary.

He told probation officers after pleading guilty to the offence that he had been paid £500 to facilitate the burglary.

Jon Dee, prosecuting, told the court Beall had no previous convictions and asked the judge to consider a suspended prison sentence.

Mr Dee said: “At long last he has started to tell the truth about what happened. He should have done it a lot earlier.

“There has been a delay of five months in him being sentenced. He has been prepared on three occasions which has placed a considerable burden on his family.

“He has continued working, he is a skilled operative in his trade and has a potential ten year contract with BT to lay broadband cables. It is a very well paid job.

“After reaching his 40s he succumbed to temptation. He was not the driving force behind the burglary and did not receive the majority of the gain.”

Beall, of Vicarage Road, Southwell, admitted burglary on November 19, 2014.

Passing sentence Judge Michael Heath told Beall he was the “inside man” and had told police a pack of lies.

Judge Heath said: “There was a significant degree of loss to the victim, £13,600 worth of items were stolen.

“The premises were deliberately targeted.”