Three men have been sentenced to a total of five years and three months in prison for stealing nearly £1 million worth of weight loss drugs, including 79 boxes of Mounjaro, from a healthcare distribution centre in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
The Burglary
Mark Harding, 55, and Peter Costello, 44, forced entry into the distribution centre on January 24 and blacked out internal cameras. They were caught on CCTV stealing several boxes of the weight loss drug from a refrigerated storage unit shortly before 6.40pm. Less than two hours later, they returned with accomplice Robert Townsend, 59, to steal more than 70 additional boxes. The total value of the haul was £944,544.89.
Investigation and Arrest
The suspects were identified through phone records, CCTV footage, and automatic number plate recognition cameras (ANPR). When arrested on February 11, police discovered more than £60,000 in cash hidden in picnic baskets and extractor fans.
Court Proceedings
Townsend, of Carshalton in London, pleaded guilty on April 30 at St Albans Crown Court to burglary and possessing criminal property. Costello, of Sutton in London, and Harding, of Feltham in London, pleaded guilty to burglary. The judge sentenced all three men to five years and three months in prison for burglary. Harding and Townsend received an additional nine-month concurrent sentence for possessing criminal property.
Police Statement
Detective Sergeant Will Daglish said: ‘I am pleased that Townsend, Costello and Harding pleaded guilty in court and admitted these large-scale offences. This was a very serious crime – weight loss drugs must be stored correctly and are dangerous if they are not administered in the right way. By breaking into the fridges storing the Mounjaro drug, their actions posed a serious health risk to the public. This was evidently a pre-planned and calculated burglary, and they will now serve several years behind bars.’
