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Bungling thieves try and steal vehicle too big to fit in their getaway van

Fun VLOG February 16, 2023
Thieves try stealing road roller too big for their getaway van
Kieron Heslop tried to steal a cement roller only to find it was too big for his getaway van (Picture: Northumbria Police / SWNS)

Two incompetant thieves have been dubbed ‘Dumb and Dumber’ after they tried stealing a road roller – which ended up being too big for their getaway van.

Kieron Heslop and his accomplice Paul Stephenson pinched the heavy work vehicle from a building site near the Newcastle Falcons rugby club on the day of the Queen’s funeral last year.

The bumbling duo chose September 19 as the date for their crime spree after assuming the site would be deserted while people stayed at home to pay their respects to the late monarch.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the pair had travelled there in a stolen van, which had cloned plates, and tried to load £200 worth of diesel and a cement roller into their vehicle.

But the pair soon became stuck when they tried to push the stolen roller, worth £10,000, into the back of their van only to discover it wouldn’t fit.

Two bungling thieves dubbed ?Dumb and Dumber? were caught stealing a road roller ? which was too big to fit in their getaway van. See SWNS story SWLNdumb. Kieron Heslop and accomplice Paul Stephenson pinched the heavy work vehicle from a building site on the day of the Queen?s funeral. They chose the day, believing the site would be deserted while people stayed at home to pay their respects to the late monarch. But the pair came a cropper when they tried to roll the stolen vehicle, worth ?10,000, into the back of a van. They were also spotted on CCTV stealing the roller from a construction site near Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club on September 19 last year. The pair had stolen ?300 of diesel from a container but were caught red-handed trying, and failing, to load the roller into their van. Cops turned up and they fled on foot but were caught with the assistance of a police dog which bit Stephenson. Heslop, 30, of Crook, County Durham, and Stephenson, 31, of Birtley, Gateshead, both admitted theft at Newcastle Crown Court.
Keiron and his accomplice planned their robbery on the day of the Queen’s funeral (Picture: Northumbria Police/SWNS)
Two bungling thieves dubbed ?Dumb and Dumber? were caught stealing a road roller ? which was too big to fit in their getaway van. See SWNS story SWLNdumb. Kieron Heslop and accomplice Paul Stephenson pinched the heavy work vehicle from a building site on the day of the Queen?s funeral. They chose the day, believing the site would be deserted while people stayed at home to pay their respects to the late monarch. But the pair came a cropper when they tried to roll the stolen vehicle, worth ?10,000, into the back of a van. They were also spotted on CCTV stealing the roller from a construction site near Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club on September 19 last year. The pair had stolen ?300 of diesel from a container but were caught red-handed trying, and failing, to load the roller into their van. Cops turned up and they fled on foot but were caught with the assistance of a police dog which bit Stephenson. Heslop, 30, of Crook, County Durham, and Stephenson, 31, of Birtley, Gateshead, both admitted theft at Newcastle Crown Court.
The stolen cement roller was clearly too big for their stolen van (Picture: SWNS)

The criminals were spotted struggling with the high-value machine by security guards on CCTV, and police officers quickly arrived at the scene with a dog in tow and caught the culprits red-handed.

Heslop, 31, of Hall Lane estate, Willington, Crook, County Durham, and Stephenson, 31, of Glenluce, Birtley, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, both admitted theft.

Penny Hall, defending Heslop, said he has a criminal record and was homeless at the time but is now in employment and has ‘broken the cycle he had been in’.

Miss Hall said the offence was not sophisticated and added: ‘There are photographs of the roller being put into the back of the van, it clearly doesn’t fit.

‘They were caught at the scene.’

Jonathan Cousins, defending Stephenson, who has been an officer in the Territorial Army and was at a ‘low point’ in his life, said: ‘He has no previous convictions.’

Kieron Heslop. Two bungling thieves dubbed ?Dumb and Dumber? were caught stealing a road roller ? which was too big to fit in their getaway van. See SWNS story SWLNdumb. Kieron Heslop and accomplice Paul Stephenson pinched the heavy work vehicle from a building site on the day of the Queen?s funeral. They chose the day, believing the site would be deserted while people stayed at home to pay their respects to the late monarch. But the pair came a cropper when they tried to roll the stolen vehicle, worth ?10,000, into the back of a van. They were also spotted on CCTV stealing the roller from a construction site near Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club on September 19 last year. The pair had stolen ?300 of diesel from a container but were caught red-handed trying, and failing, to load the roller into their van. Cops turned up and they fled on foot but were caught with the assistance of a police dog which bit Stephenson. Heslop, 30, of Crook, County Durham, and Stephenson, 31, of Birtley, Gateshead, both admitted theft at Newcastle Crown Court.
Heslop was arrested by officers at the scene and sentenced to nine months in prison (Picture: Northumbria Police / SWNS)

The court heard Stephenson has made ‘extensive efforts’ to get his life back on track after the offence.

Mr Recorder Alistair MacDonald KC sentenced Heslop to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with programme requirements and 150 hours unpaid work.

Stephenson was sentenced to a community order for 12 months with 100 hours unpaid work.

The judge said: ‘There were elements of sophistication but also elements of naive foolishness.’

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