Sunderland crook blamed pigeon when caught by police

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A bungling criminal who scaled scaffolding in a bid to steal lead claimed to be looking for his racing pigeon when caught up-a-height.

David Jacob’s bird-brained move left him high and dry when officers arrived in city centre Minorca Close in the dead of night and turned their gaze skywards.

His attempt to pull the feathers over officers’ eyes further failed when they found him in possession of a screwdriver on Thursday, March 21, when he descended.

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Jacob, 39, of Trinity Square, refused to answer further questions after his arrest but finally came clean by admitting his guilt to magistrates.

They heard he had been crime-free since 2016 but erred after a leg injury prevented employment,also turning him to drink.

Prosecutor Clare Irving told the South Tyneside court: “There was a report of a male on a roof, and officers arrived.

“The defendant was on the roof. He said he had lost his racing pigeon and that was his reason for being there.

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“The owner of the property said that a few days earlier lead had gone missing from the roof.

“She then heard noise again and that’s why she called the police. He came down and he had a screwdriver.

“In interview with police, he answered ‘no comment’ to all questions. He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity at court.

“He was last in court, for a dissimilar matter, in 2016, it’s eight years since his last offence.”

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Jacob pleaded guilty to a charge of going equipped for theft.

A Probation Service report said Jacob had climbed scaffolding to get lead which he planned to sell for cash to feed a “substance misuse”.

It said he had “a history of similar behaviours” but had been out of trouble for a lengthy spell until a leg injury led him into booze and deteriorating mental health.

Paul McAlindon, defending, said: “What you have is a man under the influence of alcohol who has had a very serious leg injury, scampering up some scaffolding and being found by police.

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“He accepts that he was looking for lead to take to fund his alcohol issues.”

Magistrates fined Jacob £120, with £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge – and urged him to address his drink problem.

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