Harrogate burglar jailed for two years after stealing £10,000 worth of clothes from York warehouse

Aaron Herbert, 49, and an unnamed man drove from Harrogate to the commercial warehouse in York in a stolen VW Golf, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Michael Cahill said CCTV footage showed Herbert and the driver getting out of the vehicle and being joined by two other people including a woman outside the warehouse in an industrial compound on Malton Road, Stockton-on-the-Forest.

One of the men used bolt croppers to cut the lock of the warehouse doors to break in.

“A short time later, the two who arrived on foot left, leaving (Herbert) and the driver in the warehouse,” added Mr Cahill.

“CCTV showed the defendant and his accomplice going in and out of the warehouse…with stock from the warehouse, particularly coats.”

The burglars got back in the car and drove off after bagging £5,000 of loot in the raid, which occurred at about 11pm on December 11 last year. Herbert, who was a disqualified driver, was at the wheel.

Shortly afterwards, in the early hours of the following morning, Herbert drove back to the warehouse and was again with another man.

“The men made numerous trips in and out of the warehouse, stealing various items of clothing,” said Mr Cahill.

CCTV showed Herbert coming out of the warehouse with a bundle of coats – one of which he was wearing.

Mr Cahill said that about £5,000 of clothes were stolen in this second raid, and £10,000 in total.

Herbert then drove the Volkswagen away from the loading-bay doors to make way for his accomplice to drive out in a “mini” vehicle which he had stolen from inside the warehouse.

They then carefully closed the warehouse doors to make it look “as if nothing had happened”.

Herbert drove off in the VW and his partner-in-crime drove away in the stolen warehouse vehicle.

However, it didn’t take police long to coming knocking at Herbert’s door as he was immediately identified from CCTV footage.

The two stolen vehicles were both found in Harrogate’s Fairfax Avenue.

Herbert, of Deane Place, Harrogate, was arrested on December 15 and charged with two counts of burglary, taking a vehicle without consent and driving while disqualified and without insurance.

He admitted the offences and appeared for sentence today.

Mr Cahill said Herbert had taken the VW car after a sneak-in burglary at a named woman’s home in Harrogate in which her car keys were stolen.

Herbert’s 22-year criminal career comprised 27 previous convictions for 85 offences including burglary and 24 theft and kindred offences.

Defence barrister Harry Crowson said that Herbert, a long-standing heroin addict, had spent most of his time in prison in recent years.

Judge Simon Hickey described the burglaries as “audacious”.

He told Herbert: “You were seen emptying the warehouse of a significant amount of clothes (which represents) a significant economic loss.”

He said the burglaries involved “significant planning” and that Herbert was now at risk of becoming “institutionalised”.

Herbert will serve half of the two-year jail sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence. He was also given a two-year driving ban.