Police uncover £350k stolen goods haul in Leicester storage unit
An arrest led police to discover a Leicester storage unit filled with stolen goods worth more than £350,000. Leicestershire Police made the discovery after arresting James Ward, 35, last year.
While searching Ward, officers found a key to a storage unit in the Northfields area of the city. Inside it, they found stolen furniture, electronics and power tools. The revelation led to a broader investigation into a series of burglaries across the county.
Further inquiries revealed a connection between Ward and another man, linking them to multiple thefts from storage units in various locations throughout the county between July 2022 and March 2023.
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Ward, of Avonside Drive, Evington, Leicester, pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday, September 17, to one count of handling stolen goods. He was sentenced to 27 months in prison. A second man, Lance Ball, 32, of Boulter Crescent, in Wigston, also admitted handling stolen goods, and was given a 24-month suspended sentence.
PC Eliot Bates, one of the investigating officers, said after the case: “We know the impact that burglaries and theft has on our communities and particularly the loss of power tools can have on people’s livelihoods.
“Following their arrest, a thorough investigation was undertaken which has thankfully led to James Ward being sentenced to a term of imprisonment for his crimes. I hope this outcome will provide some reassurance to the public that those responsible will be brought to justice.”
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