A MAN who was caught on camera stealing a table from the rear of a Skipton restaurant and then tried to sell it on Facebook Marketplace the following day, has admitted theft.
Magistrates sitting in Skipton on Friday heard Gary Blackburn, 53, had been seen with a woman just after midnight on June 4 this year, entering the rear yard area of Efendy, in Skipton High Street.
Prosecuting, Martin Butterworth said Blackburn, of Granville Street, Skipton, and an unknown woman were seen on CCTV footage walking in the open yard area searching around. He said Blackburn went up to the stainless steel table and picked it up and took it away. The woman also picked an unknown object up and left with it. Mr Butterworth said is was still unclear to the crown prosecution service if the woman had been identified at this time.
He said the restaurant owner realised the following day that something seemed to be missing from outside and looked at CCTV footage. He saw the theft taking place and then looked on Facebook Marketplace to see if the table had been listed. He said it was being sold under the defendant's name and was distinctive in that it had been cut to size. He recognised it straight away.
Mr Butterworth said there had been some level of planning in that the defendant was searching around the yard before taking the item away. The table was valued at around £100 and was still missing.
In mitigation, Ibrar Hussain said his client was walking past the restaurant that night. The yard was easy to access and Blackburn thought that as there were plaster boards and other items about, that everything was due to be sent to the tip.
Mr Hussaid said his client was struggling and on benefits.
"He took the table and left it in his garden because it was too big to take inside. He didn't try and hide it because he believed it was out there to be chucked. Unfortunately he lost out himself because two men in a white van came along and took the table from his garden so he doesn't even have that now," said Mr Hussain.
The bench was told Blackburn had 12 previous convictions but none of them were for theft or dishonesty.
Magistrates fined him £120 and ordered he compensate the Efendy owner to the amount of £100 and pay a surcharge of £48 and costs of £85.
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