Three men who attempted to steal a micro digger worth £20,000 and crashed in front of police have been jailed.
Dean Goodwin, Sean Hardman and Arly Tudge broke into the site at Total Plant Hire, on Monde Trading Esate in Trafford Park, the day after turning up and cutting the fence.
The premises store diggers for the building industry and there are approximately 150 diggers on site, a hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
READ MORE: Utd fans walk free from court after becoming 'overcome with emotion' at match
Harriet Lavin, prosecuting, said: "The site was left secure on December 22, 2021. On December 26, at 2.35pm a white van turned up and two passengers jumped out and caused damage by cutting a gap in the fencing line.
"On December 27, 2021 at 2.31pm the defendants and a further male named Josh Jackson turned up in a white Mercedes sprinter van. Goodwin, Tudge and Jackson exited the vehicle and Hardman stayed in the drivers seat.
"They entered the premises through the gap in the fencing and Tudge and Jackson started to move two mini diggers towards the main entrance to the compound while Goodwin cut the lock to the main entrance with bolt cutters.
"Hardman reversed the van up to the entrance and the gate was opened. Hardman and Goodwin made a makeshift ramp out of tyres and planks of wood as the diggers could not be loaded directly into the rear of the van.
"The first digger was loaded and then the defendants quickly drove away."
Ms Lavin said the police had been notified by the CCTV room operatives due to remote CCTV being activated on the site.
"The information passed on was that three males were in the process of trying to load three diggers to the van and one was acting as look out on the road. Officers arrived at the premises at 2.42pm that same day.
"PC Jones saw the vehicle leaving the area and watched it crash as it attempted to leave the trading estate at speed. The offside of the van collided with a raised kerb which almost flipped the van.
"The defendants disembarked from the vehicle and tried to escape, however were detained nearby."
Ms Lavin described how in the rear of the vehicle was the mini digger worth £20,000. Hardman, 27, was also found to be in possession of a small quantity of cannabis on arrest.
While at Swinton Custody, Goodwin, 32, stated to PC Neal words to the effect of “it shouldn’t be a burglary it should only be a theft as I was in the yard”
As a result of an injury, Jackson had to be taken to hospital and was subsequently street bailed. He has been interviewed and will be summonsed for the offence.
Ms Lavin said when Jackson was searched they found eight keys in his trouser pocket, recognised as ignition keys for plant machinery that will start many different plant vehicles using one key.
She described how offenders concerned in the theft of plant machinery often arrive in possession of spare keys which they use on a trial and error basis until they find a key and machine that fit to enable them to drive the machine away.
She said: "The damage to the fence cost around £200 to repair. The lock for the gate had been broken, as well as two fence panels around 5m to the left of the gate. Just in front of the gate was a makeshift ramp made out of wooden panels and some tyres.
"At the front gate entrance were two of the micro-diggers. The ignitions had been turned on. Again the ignition was also left on.
"Laid out on the floor just in front of the front entrance gates was a drill worth around £3,000."
All three pleaded guilty to burglary.
Hardman, of Parkfield Avenue, Farnworth, already has three convictions for four offences. These include two convictions for robbery in 2010.
Goodwin, of Macdonald Avenue, Farnworth, has nine convictions for 19 offences. These include taking a motor vehicle without consent in 2007; interfering with vehicle and theft in 2008; three offences for burglary and theft from a dwelling in 2012, aggravated vehicle taking in 2013.
His last conviction is from 2019 for driving offences for which he received a suspended sentence of two years. This had expired around two weeks prior to the theft. Tudge, 23, also of Macdonald Avenue, Farnworth, has two convictions for 10 offences.
Defending Hardman, Barrister Patrick Buckley requested a suspended sentence, saying "He is young man who has never had the opportunity to work with the authorities."
He said Hardman, who was said to be apologetic and admitted the offence, was "motivated and suitable" in an assessment.
Defending Tudge, Barrister Mark Friend said he had never before been in custody until he was remanded for this offence and had seen custody as somehow mystical and ethereal but now "knew exactly what it was about."
Defending Goodwin, Barrister Laura Broome said he had expressed remorse for his actions.
Mr Recorder Taylor said the burglary was "professional crime" and said the fact nothing was stolen as the police intervened was "irrelevant."
He sentenced Goodwin and Hardman to 28 months in prison and Tudge to two years in prison.
READ MORE: Man, 91, struggling up flights of stairs as he's not allowed ground floor flat
READ MORE: Teen's minutes of mayhem after downing bottle of vodka
