A SHEEPRIDGE man has become the first criminal to be trapped by a police “capture house” set up to snare offenders in Huddersfield.
Carl Miller, 22, of Ruskin Grove, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods at Huddersfield Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
Miller admitted buying a 32-inch Philips flat screen TV for £150 on March 25 from two drug dealers, believing it could be stolen.
The TV had been stolen from an unoccupied house on Riddings Rise, owned by West Yorkshire Police. It had been set up to attract burglars.
At 7pm, police visited Miller’s house after receiving information about the burglary. He showed them the TV, which was hidden under a child’s cot. He was arrested and in interview admitted buying the TV from two drug dealers in a field, but would not give their names for fear of reprisals.
Police later arrested three men in connection with the burglary.
Miller’s solicitor Michael Sisson-Pell said he and his partner, who have two small children, had been struggling financially and he was tempted by the chance to buy the television cheaply.
Magistrates gave Miller a 12-month conditional discharge – meaning that if he is convicted of a crime within this period he will be re-sentenced for the handling stolen goods offence.
