Man who broke into boats on the Norfolk Broads told to pay £2k in compensation
He'll also have to carry out community service
Last updated 25th Jan 2021
A 29-year-old man has been ordered to serve a total of 240 hours community service and pay more than £2,000 in compensation after breaking into boats on the Norfolk Broads during lockdown.
Lester Lynn, of Church Road, Cantley, appeared at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court last Friday 15 January 2021 on two counts of theft and two of handling stolen goods.
The offender, who pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing, broke into the boats along the River Yare during lockdown last year. He was identified after witnesses came forward and recognised his boat. Officers carried out a thorough investigation - taking statements from victims from across the UK, including Wales, Essex and Lincolnshire.
Lynn stole thousands of pounds worth of equipment including an outboard engine and marine fixtures and fittings between 1 February 2020 and 7 April 2020 from a boat at Hardley Dyke, near Loddon, and from a second boat moored at Langley Dyke. He is subject to a community order to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work over 12 months and to pay £2,000 in compensation for both offences.
Between 15 March 2020 and 9 April 2020, he was also involved in two counts of handling stolen goods at Langley Dyke, including marine equipment. He has been ordered to carry out 120 hours of community service over 12 months for the offences and ordered to pay £60 in compensation.
PC Paul Bassham, Beat Manager for the Broads Beat Team, said:
"This offender dominated our time last Summer with a number of boats broken into during the Easter lockdown. The offender's boat was identified through witnesses coming forward and was discovered by the broads' authority and seized by police for examination. More than 60 items were seized as exhibits.
"The Broads Beat team wish to thank all the local witnesses in tracking down the offender, the victims' patience with the restricted process during lockdown and hope this reassures the marine community across the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads that we will continue to patrol, prevent and detect marine crime."