Stone thieves plaguing Mirfield could be making their getaway – by canal boat.
The getaway barge theory was floated after a thief pushing stone in a supermarket trolley was chased onto the canalside.
The thief escaped but police found a haul of stone stacked up alongside the Calder and Hebble Canal off Station Road, near the Lidl store.
Stone has been stolen from across Mirfield but much of it within trolley pushing-distance of the canal, fuelling speculation that the waterway could be a getaway route.
Mirfield town councillor David Pinder, who has monitored the thefts, said: “The canal theory could explain why the thieves are getting away without being seen.
“CCTV cameras never seem to capture anything untoward and with the stone being found stashed by the canal it’s easy to see it being loaded onto a barge.
“After all that’s what barges were built for and the police wouldn’t check canal boats.
“The canal networks all link up and the stone could be transported across the country to be disposed of.”
The Examiner reported how staff from the Tesco Express store in Mirfield town centre saw a thief pushing a trolley loaded with stone away from the gardens outside Mirfield Library at 5.25am on Wednesday.
Administrator Carol McCormack rang police while store cleaner Vic Benjamin gave chase.
Police attended quickly and around 18 stones were later recovered by officers.
On Tuesday Clr Pinder reported stone thefts from the library gardens and tried to contact West Yorkshire’s temporary chief constable Dee Collins calling for action.
Clr Pinder and fellow town councillor Andrew White also asked for the Kirklees Council CCTV camera outside Tesco Express to be turned on the gardens, which they believe happened.
Clr Pinder praised the council and police and added: “I am delighted at the prompt action which helped prevent further thefts and I have been assured the CCTV camera had been adjusted and it may just mean the thieves can be identified.”
The council could not confirm whether the camera had recorded any images but a spokesman said officers were working with the police
