July 23, 2018 1.51 pm This story is over 68 months old

Skegness burglars’ wheelie bin getaway foiled

They broke into a popular bakery in the early hours of the morning
Leon Rayner (left) and Paul Wilkinson (right) were jailed for 16 months.

A pair of burglars smashed their way into a shop and then wheeled a stolen safe to their mother’s house in a wheelie bin to break it open.

Leon Rayner and Paul Wilkinson forced their way through the front door of a Curtis bakery on the High Street in Skegness at 3am.

After searching the property, the two men put the safe into a wheelie bin and took it to Wilkinson’s mother’s home where they used a hammer to smash it open and steal £1,200 from inside, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Rayner and Wilkinson, who both had previous convictions for burglary offences, were identified from CCTV footage which showed them approaching the shop.

Phillip Plant, prosecuting, said: “In due course they were arrested but they did not make any admissions in interviews with police.”

The court was told that Rayner has 28 previous convictions for a total of 86 offences and Wilkinson had 34 previous convictions for 73 offences.

Rayner, 40, of Allenby Way, Skegness, and Wilkinson, 40, of Hudson Way, Skegness, each admitted burglary as a result of the incident on June 17 this year. They were each jailed for 16 months.

Judge John Pini QC, passing sentence, told the pair:

“For both of you, your addiction to drugs is the root of your problems.

“This was a planned and organised commercial break-in. I cannot deal with this in any other way than by immediate custodial sentences.”

Leanne Summers, for Rayner, said he had been making efforts to turn his life around.

She said he had not used heroin for over a year and is in a relationship.

“On this night he was in drink. He had an argument with his partner and chose to drink. That led to him committing this offence. It was entirely stupid on his part.”

Chris Jeyes, for Wilkinson, said his client apologized for what he had done.

He said Wilkinson was remanded in custody before being sentenced and is now clean of drugs.