‘Vile’ robbers found guilty of stealing from funeral directors
Two defendants have pleaded guilty after stealing items from Melia Powell & Family Funeral Directors in Keighley.
One pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery and the second to theft. One member of staff was left traumatised by the incident and has since struggled to work within the profession.
Brian Langford, funeral director said: “It is a very sad fact of life that honest citizens and those in business too face the real fear of crime in our daily lives.
“To use force, or the threat of force, in order to commit a crime is a disgusting and vile act by one human being to another. However, this was a typical Saturday on a busy town centre high street.
“The fact they chose to violate the shop of a funeral director shows the level that some will stoop to in order to commit crime. The items stolen were charms, bracelets and necklaces used to keep the precious remains of a loved one close to them.
“The thieves clearly just saw jewellery to steal but to enter a shop and use force on a loan female in order to steal anything means that they should be severely punished and made an example of to others contemplating such a vile crime!”
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC sentenced one man to a 12-month community order with a 20-day activity requirement, a nine-month drug rehabilitation order, and a four-month curfew. The other man was jailed for eight months, suspended for a year, given a nine-month drug rehabilitation order, and a four-month curfew, according to The Telegraph and Argus.
