BURGLARS who were spotted after stealing a wishing well for a 'silly prank', while on bail for pinching furniture, have been prosecuted.Unemployed Hadleigh 21-year-olds Andrew Brockhouse from Pykenham Way, and Andrew Davies from Charter Close, appeared in custody, before Sudbury magistrates.

BURGLARS who were spotted after stealing a wishing well for a 'silly prank', while on bail for pinching furniture, have been prosecuted.

Unemployed Hadleigh 21-year-olds Andrew Brockhouse from Pykenham Way, and Andrew Davies from Charter Close, appeared in custody, before Sudbury magistrates.

The pair had admitted jointly burgling a dwelling with intent, and theft, on April 4, and another burglary of furniture and pots on February 8.

Getaway driver Davies also pleaded guilty to using a car with no insurance, no test certificate and otherwise than in accordance with a licence on October 24, the same charges on and February 8.

Prosecutor Godfriedt Duah said the first burglary happened from a storage container at The Old Stables, Landseer Road, Ipswich, where they took pine furniture and pots.

Mr Duah, who said the crime had been planned, told the court police had stopped and searched the mens' van at the Copdock interchange and found goods later revealed to be stolen.

Davies and Brockhouse then stole a wooden wishing well at Alyward Close, Hadleigh on April 2 - while they were on bail – and carried it away from a front garden.

Then within minutes Davies was seen entering somebody's garage as Brockhouse acted as lookout.

In mitigation, Diane Infanti , said Davies had been pressured by an older person, who told him about the storage container's contents and offered transport and cash.

She said on April 2, both men were confined to their homes by a curfew order but decided they needed a walk.

She said: "They came upon a wishing well and in what can only be described as a 'silly prank', encouraged each other to take it. They knew it wasn't worth very much, and when they got fed up with it they put it down in a walkway. They deeply regret this.

"They then found an open garage and Brockhouse saw somebody coming as Davies stepped inside.

"They have found their first experience of custody to be a sobering one."

Both were given two-year rehabilitation orders and ordered to attend a 'think first' offenders' programme and pay £110 costs.

Davies was also fined £175 for both counts of having no insurance, and disqualified from driving for six months.

Third man Terry Broomfield, also 21, of Ansell Close, was caught in the van with them, and admitted entering the Old Stables as a trespasser and stealing pine furniture , then a second charge of handling a stolen Bosch electrical saw.

His case was adjourned until June 2, for reports to be prepared, and he was told custody had been ruled out.

The person who spotted the pair at the garage, and reported them to police, was a member of the area's neighbourhood watch group.

Inspector Lincoln Pratt said: "I am delighted that our partnership with Neighbourhood Watch can be seen to pay off-a prompt phone call from an assistant co-ordinator started the ball rolling, and alerted us to the theft together with certain other detail.

"Our investigation thereafter was fairly rapid leading to two arrests and subsequently the convictions."

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