Thief caught through Ebay

WHEN a thief stole an historic boundary marker from the Kennet & Avon Canal, he was stupid enough to photograph it and try to sell it on Ebay!

The Great Western Railway iron boundary marker—similar to the one pictured—was stolen last autumn from the gardens of the listed Aldermaston Wharf Cottage on the canal-side in West Berkshire, Mike Rodd, tells us.

Silly enough

The members of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust  realised that the thief would know the marker would by worth more than scrap value, so thought he might be silly enough to try and sell in publically by using Ebay—and he was.

Wayne Sangwell, who was convicted of the theft at Reading Magistrates' Court this week had even included a photograph of the marker on Ebay, so Trust members could easily recognise it, and thus inform the police.

Included cottage

The photograph of the marker he used in the auction even included part of the cottage from where he stole it.

So instead of making money out of the theft it cost him a total of £380 that included a fine and costs.

The item had actually been sold, but the buyer realised it was stolen property and immediately returned the historic marker.  He of course can claim his money back from the thief.