Colne men facing jail for stealing safe from Scottish PO

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Colne men facing jail for stealing safe from Scottish post office

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TWO Pendle men accused of raiding 13 post offices in Scotland are facing jail after being found guilty of stealing a safe.

John Hind, 54, of Birtwistle Avenue, Colne, and Matthew Roy Peters, 40, who also used to live in the town, were found guilty of stealing a safe from Glenuig Post Office.

Peters, now of Bournemouth, was also found guilty of stealing a safe from another location, in Sutherland, containing £7,000 in money and stock valued at £1,926.

But the pair were acquitted of carrying out 13 other break-ins at post offices and commercial premises across the Highlands in 2007.

In addition, they were acquitted of stealing a car and driving it at PC Andrew Cooper, who had signalled them to stop on the Fort William to Mallaig road.

A jury retired for an hour before returning the verdict, which came after a five-week trial at Wick Sheriff Court in Caithness.

Sheriff Andrew Berry, who continued the case for reports until Friday September 30, told both men to expect custodial sentences.

Hind and Peters had denied stealing £45,000 in cash and stock, and breaking into premises in Spittal, Canisbay, Talmine, Dunbeath, Lairg, Thurso and Wick, between April 27 and October 12, 2007.

They were arrested by police following the break-in at Glenuig Post Office.

More than 100 witnesses, including 75 police officers, were scheduled to give evidence in the trial, which was the biggest seen at Wick Sheriff Court.