AN OPPORTUNIST thief has admitted causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage with the intention of stealing an item of worthless household junk. Dameon Lowe, 21, appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged with causing criminal damage and theft from the recycling centre in Portman Walk, Ipswich.

AN OPPORTUNIST thief has admitted causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage with the intention of stealing an item of worthless household junk.

Dameon Lowe, 21, appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged with causing criminal damage and theft from the recycling centre in Portman Walk, Ipswich.

Lowe, of Newnham Court, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to cutting a barbed wire fence and taking discarded dvds and a foot pump from the site owned by Suffolk County Council on the evening of June 10.

Lesla Small, prosecuting, told the court that police attended the scene after being alerted by the site manager.

She said: “Upon arrival they found a man waiting outside the site on a bicycle which was pulling a trailer. When questioned by police, the man denied entering the site but admitted waiting for Lowe, who was still there.”

Officers searched for Lowe and it was only when threatened with the release of a police dog that he revealed himself and surrendered to custody.

Lowe was found to be in possession of a pair of wire cutters and a screw driver.

Mark Holt, mitigating, said that the reason Lowe had entered the site was to find a metal component he needed to fix his bicycle.

Mr Holt said: “Mr Lowe couldn't find what he was looking for but saw the dvds and foot pump as he was leaving. Temptation got the better of him and he took them instead.”

Lowe, an unemployed father of one, listened as magistrates handed him a £235 fine for causing the damage to the barbed wire fence.

David Brennan, chair of the bench, said: “This was an amazingly stupid thing to do. You went in to get a metal bar worth no more than a few pounds and ended up causing nearly £250 worth of damage.”