Imperial Distillery Copper Theft Caused £25000 Damage

[John]

Copper theft caused £25,000 damage to stills. Two thieves who broke into a distillery and stole copper piping worth £550 caused an estimated £25,000 damage to the stills.

Kenneth Blinkhorn and Michael Hogg targeted two premises in the early hours of November 29, 2007, Elgin Sheriff Court heard yesterday.

They first hit A. Forsyth and Sons in Station Road, Rothes, then the Imperial Distillery at Carron, near Aberlour.

Police who later stopped the van found four flanges, a stainless-steel plate, copper pipes and a printout list of decommissioned whisky distilleries.

Blinkhorn, 39, of 109 Hatfield Avenue, Fleetwood, Manchester, and Hogg, 43, of 22 Wansbeck Avenue, Fleetwood, admitted forcing open the locked compound at Forsyth's and stealing four flanges and a steel plate.

They also admitted breaking into the still owned by Chivas Regal and stealing a quantity of copper piping. Mrs Ralph that, when Chivas Regal employees arrived, they found the perimeter fence forced open and a large hole in the copper stills, and contacted Grampian Police.

Officers caught up with Blinkhorn and Hogg on the road to Aberlour, and pulled them over to inspect the contents of the van.

Staff from Forsyth's were able to recognise their goods by their distinct markings.

Mrs Ralph said the 529lb (240kg) of copper piping stolen was worth about £550, but that it would cost an estimated £25,000 to repair the damage they caused to the stills.

Sheriff Noel McPartlin deferred sentence until August 17 for social inquiry and community service reports.

John

Source: Press & Journal