TWO THIEVES described as "complete idiots" in court have been jailed after a drunken mission to steal lead tiles from the roof of a Macclesfield mill sparked a three-hour stand-off with police.
A police negotiator had to be called in to talk down Lewis Grant Anderton, 21, of Garden Close, Hurdsfield, and Carl Derek Gibbons, 23, of Brook Street, Macclesfield.
Their bungled theft, which caused £2,000 of damage, awoke a resident, Macclesfield magistrates heard.
Anderton and Gibbons, who were planning to sell the tiles, were spotted at 3.30am on June 22, but could not be persuaded to end their stand-off until 6.40am, the court was told during sentencing on Wednesday (July 15).
Paul Davies, prosecuting, said: "The witness was awoken by the sound of loud noises nearby. He observed two figures on top of Park Green Mill and contacted the police."
Officers saw lead "flashing" was missing from the roof and called in a specialist negotiator when the pair refused to surrender.
"(In interview) Anderton said both were intoxicated and saw an opportunity to make some money," Mr Davies said.
"They used a ladder. He (Anderton) said he didn’t really know what he was going to do with it (the lead flashing)."
Gibbons had already stored some of the lead at his home, Mr Davies added.
Both pleaded guilty to theft and were each jailed for six weeks.
Caroline King, defending, said they had acted "like complete idiots" and had made the matter much worse by not surrendering straight away.
She added: "Both of them showed genuine remorse at the police station and were clearly ashamed and embarrassed by their stupid actions.
"Alcohol was a factor and no doubt acting together they were egging each other on.
"They have been friends for some time, although they haven’t been in court together before."
Chairman of the bench, Valerie Young, said: "There was theft from the roof of a business. You resisted police and didn’t cooperate in any way for several hours."
