Bedworth man stopped off for food in Coventry after stealing £170k Range Rover

Abbott and Stevenson were captured on CCTV



Two 'woeful' burglars who stole a £170,000 luxury car were caught red-handed after being snared by CCTV. Rhys Abbott and Roman Stevenson were spotted at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Coventry.

At around 5.30am on March 17, Abbott, 20, and Stevenson, 19, broke into a property in Nottingham and swiped the keys to a Range Rover Sport SV Edition One. Police were called after the owner woke to find it missing.

Detectives found that just hours after stealing the Range Rover, Abbott and Stevenson had filled it up with £40 worth of fuel in Loughborough. At 10am, the pair then stopped off at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre.

CCTV captured Abbott and Stevenson enjoying food at its on-site eatery, but their cocky bravado was short-lived as the pair were quickly arrested. Abbott denied being involved in the burglary and claimed he was picked up by the Range Rover after agreeing to a 'paid job' to clear a drug debt he had.

But CCTV showed two people walking towards the Keyworth property shortly before it was burgled. Although the images were of poor quality, one of the men could be seen wearing clothing that matched what Abbott had been wearing that morning, and the second man was wearing a coat with the same reflective patches on the back as worn by Stevenson.

Abbott, of London Road, Leicester, and Stevenson, of Acacia Crescent, Bedworth, were charged with burglary and theft and pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court. Both were sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Detective Sergeant James Hirst said: “It understandably caused a great deal of distress and anxiety to the victim, who was asleep upstairs when the burglary took place. We worked very hard to identify the offenders, and it is testament to the quality of the investigation and the compelling evidence that was secured that both Abbott and Stevenson entered guilty pleas.

“Abbott and Stevenson may have proven themselves to be pretty woeful criminals, and I am pleased we have been able to bring them to justice.”