A brave couple who chased a thief and forced him to drop his haul of stolen property have been praised.
Lewis Anderton, 23, of Sutton Close, Macclesfield, stole a handbag after breaking into a car on the Matalan car park, on the Lyme Green Retail Park.
But he dumped it after eagle-eyed shoppers Claire and Martin Maggin, from Macclesfield, pursued him in their car and cut him off as he tried to escape.
Anderton admitted theft from a motor vehicle when he appeared at Macclesfield magistrates court.
Rosemary Pike, chairwoman of the bench, said: “We would like the court’s thanks to be sent on to Mr and Mrs Maggin.
“In intervening and helping in this matter the property was recovered and the offender apprehended and brought before the court. We are very grateful to them for intervening in this case.”
Dad-to-be Anderton was spotted breaking into a Vauxhall Corsa belonging to Matalan employee Jessica Buckley on October 22. Debbie Byrne, prosecuting, said: “Jessica Buckley was approached by Claire and Martin Maggin who said they saw it happen.
They handed back her stolen bag which still contained everything.”
A statement by Mrs Maggin read to the court said: “We were driving out of the store car park when I saw two lads standing near the car.
“I saw one put a black coat over his hand and smash the rear passenger window, reach in and pull out a bag. My husband turned the car round and drove across the car park and followed behind before cutting across the road.
The second male carried on walking and the other dropped what he had stolen on the floor and ran off.”
Caroline King, defending, said the theft was an ‘opportunistic offence’ committed to pay off an old drug debt.
She said: “Since the offence he has got back on his feet and is employed as a painter with his partner’s uncle. He has shown genuine remorse.”
Anderton was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for a year, ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £185 in compensation and costs.
