Robbers who stole a car had to go back and ask owners how to start it

A pair of bungling robbers who broke into a house to steal car keys had to go back and ask the owners how to start the vehicle.

Keith Watson, 35, and Scott Aitken, 17, forced their way into a bungalow in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, and threatened a man and woman with a baseball bat and keys so they would give them the keys to their car.

However, the hapless pair couldn’t figure out how to get it moving so returned to the house to ask the people they had just threatened how to start it.

After they finally managed to turn the engine on, the men managed to stall it before crashing it into a telegraph pole.

Watson and Aitken were later arrested and have now been jailed for 14 years between them.

Grimsby Crown Court heard how the couple inside the house were threatened as their children slept at 12.30am on July 25 last year.

When the husband heard voices outside, he went to investigate and saw Watson and Aitken standing on a garden table.

Watson reached through the top of a window, opened it and tried to climb inside but the occupier managed to disarm him of his baseball bat and closed the window.

MORE: Harrogate residents urged to put only pee, poo and paper down their toilets after wet wipes cause costly blockages
MORE: Watch: ‘Drunk’ magician falls 25ft to the ground while trying to monkey-bar across huge roof

However, there was later an “almighty smash” was heard from a bedroom window and the two intruders were in the hallway – and the husband found himself having to hand the rounders bat back to Watson.

The wife said in a victim statement that the raid was her “worst nightmare come true”.

She added: “The incident has caused my family and myself lots of heartache and trauma.”

Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, said the husband’s instinct was to protect his family and he had to show them how to start the car after Aitken came back armed with a brick.

Watson was jailed for ten years and Aitken was given four years’ detention.

After the hearing, Mr Evans said, in a statement for the Crown Prosecution Service: “This was every householder’s worst nightmare. These defendants, who had been on an alcohol and drug-fuelled binge, launched a sustained attack on the victim’s family home.

“They invaded the home three times in a determined and ruthless assault.

“Young children were asleep at the time but it is thanks to the presence of mind of the householder, who handed over his car keys and remained calm, that they slept throughout the incident.

“Watson is clearly a very dangerous individual. He is now starting a lengthy period of imprisonment.

“I hope this is of some comfort to the victim and his family.”

Top pic: SWNS