TWO men used an axe to smash their way into a Bradford district Post Office to steal booze and charity boxes.
Heroin addict James Reynoldson took part in three burglaries over three days in October last year, twice partnering with fellow addict Simon Temple.
Both are now beginning prison sentences.
Bradford Crown Court heard how Reynoldson, 28, broke into the post office on Bradford Road in Keighley just before midnight on October 15 in a raid that took just four minutes.
With another man he smashed glass panelled doors with an axe and took 11 bottles of vodka, a crate of lager, and coins from the till.
In total they escaped with good worth around £400. Damage to the doors was estimated at £1,500.
The incident was caught on CCTV.
On October 18, Reynoldson, with 43-year-old Temple, forced entry to a petrol station on Hard Ings Road in Keighley at 2.10am when it was closed by breaking a padlock on a fire door.
Over the next ten minutes they took spirits, beer, and cigarettes worth more than £2,300 but were once again caught on CCTV, from which they were identified.
The following day Reynoldson, with Temple, returned to the post office and broke in using the same method as before.
The pair took alcohol worth £500 and two charity boxes full of coins.
When they were arrested together at 8am the following day, Reynoldson was wearing the same clothes seen on CCTV.
During police interviews Reynoldson gave “no comment” answers. Temple also remained silent.
The court heard that Reynoldson had 24 previous convictions for 51 offences whilst Temple had 20 previous convictions for 56 offences.
Mitigating for Reynoldson, of no fixed abode in Bradford, John Bottomley said his offending was driven by his heroin addiction, which began when he became homeless and escalated following the deaths of his parents in quick succession.
He said Reynoldson offended to feed his “unfortunate” addiction but that since being on remand he had become clean of drugs due to “forced abstinence”.
He said Reynoldson had shown genuine remorse, “deeply regretted” his actions, and was troubled by distress he had caused to shop owners.
Mitigating for Temple, of no fixed abode in Keighley, Jonathan Turner said he began using heroin and cocaine following a relationship breakdown and the death of his father, and that he turned to burglary as his habit increased.
He had also lost his job and became homeless.
Since being in custody, he was said to be largely substance free.
Sentencing both men, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, Mr Recorder Andrew Haslam KC noted their bad records and said their offending represented “serious, concerted, sustained burglary of commercial premises.”
He described the taking of the charity boxes as “a particularly mean thing to do.”
Reynoldson received a total of 18 months’ imprisonment. Temple received 13 months.
Both men were made subject to a five-year restraining order banning them from the Bradford Road post office.
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