Bungling Carnforth burglar's extraordinary overnight crime spree ends in him crashing van with £10,000 loot inside

More than six cyclists fell victim to a teen burglar during an overnight crime spree.
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Adam Edge, 18, got behind the wheel of a stolen van and “stuffed” it full of £10,000 worth of expensive bikes he had stolen from people’s garages.

He was rumbled when patrolling officers near the Royal Hotel, Carnforth, noticed the van was displaying a fake number plate from a former police van.

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Prosecuting, Bob Elias said Edge, of Barnes Road, Widnes, Cheshire, was found hiding in a farm outbuilding nearby.

He later admitted carrying out six burglaries in Carnforth and Bolton-le-Sands, and two attempted burglaries.

His parents were in the public gallery as defending, Rosalind Scott-Bell said: “He left school and did a course but failed to secure employment.

“He saw what others had, his friends, and was almost being left behind, and for some inexplicable reason he thought an easy way to obtain what those others had was to take from others.

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“Quite why he turned from being of relatively good character to suddenly going on a spree like that, it’s not clear. It is utterly out of character for him and certainly came as a great shock to his parents.”

After hearing Edge had no previous convictions, Judge Philip Parry asked his mother to address the court.

She said: “ I think he needs a job. I’ve no idea why this has happened - we’ve got a really good home life.”

The judge told Edge his parents were “going through agony” at seeing him behind bars.

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Imposing 21 months in a YOI, suspended for two years, he added: “People go prison for far less than this. Even though they are non dwelling burglaries, when I look at the misery you’ve brought to these homeowners you are within custodial territory.

“You’ve gone from nothing almost into the Premier League of offending overnight.

“Something has gone dramatically wrong here, and I hope this time you’ve spent in custody is enough to remind you that if you don’t fix this, and fix it now, you will be back in prison and you will break their hearts.”

Edge got a curfew, 150 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation requirement.