A Spalding man who was caught out selling stolen goods online told a friend: “I’m in sh**, big time.”
Tools worth £4,000 were stolen in a raid on Norfolk Timber Frames in King’s Lynn in November 2020
and soon offered for sale on Facebook.
Some of them were rare and carried the business’s name – which was clearly showing in the online
images, town magistrates were told on Thursday.
James Matchett and Liam Scott were arrested after someone connected with the business contacted
Matchett offering to pay the £350 sale price, the court was told.
Matchett twigged the significance of the person and Scott advised him in a series of messages to
delete all reference to the goods and destroy his phone’s SIM card.
Prosecutor Ashley Petchey told the court that Matchett said: “I’m in sh**, big time.”
The two defendants pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods between November 21 and 30, 2020.
Matchett, of High Street, said in mitigation: “It all started with knowing another person that was
involved.
“He came to me with the tools. I was going to try and sell them.
“I didn’t know they were stolen.
“I’m sorry for what I’ve done.”
Tiffany Meredith, mitigating for Scott, of Trinity Road, Wisbech, said: “It’s fair to say that Mr Scott’s
involvement was absolutely minimal.”
Matchett, 47, was given a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered
to pay £500 compensation and Scott, 23, must pay £250 compensation.
The court was told £1,850 worth of the tools were never recovered.
Norfolk Timber Frames owner Tommy Dixon said after the hearing: “I’m absolutely stunned.
“It’s taken two years to get to this point. It’s a joke to be honest.
“I couldn’t work when my tools were stolen and I was in the middle of a job.
“They clearly knew where it had all been stolen from.
“Some unpaid work and £500 compensation for one of them and £250 for the other one? I think
they’ve got away a little bit lightly.”
