A Lancashire councillor used an Apple AirTag hidden in a loose stone to catch a Wigan man who stole £7,000 worth of 300-year-old coping stones from a historic wall.
Around 30 stones went missing from an 18th-century wall along a half-mile-long stretch of road connecting the towns of Holmeswood and Rufford, Lancashire. Rufford and Holmeswood parish councillor Matt Smith, 43, took action after police said they couldn't help.
Councillor's plan to catch the thief
Matt, a dad-of-two, joined forces with other locals to find the stones. He came up with the idea to place an Apple AirTag into one of the already loose stones, hoping it would be taken and lead him to the thief's address.
The AirTag led them to the house of Craig Barker, 41, of Tan House Drive, Wigan, with the stones found in his backyard. Barker was arrested and sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended for 22 months, earlier this month.
Historic wall targeted repeatedly
Matt, from Holmeswood, said: "The audacity of him to steal from the community for his own personal gain. That isn't what we stand for."
The wall is believed to have been built around 1730 for the Grade II listed Rufford New Hall. The building was converted into a hospital in the 1900s, and after the hospital closed in the 1980s, it was refurbished and split in half.
Matt said locals initially worried about the wall when it was first attacked and stones were taken in May 2025. Two further raids took place in June and October.
Police unable to help initially
The councillor, who also runs landscaping business M.Smith Gardens & Landscapes, originally reached out to Lancashire Police, but they were unable to help as the area had no CCTV coverage or forensic opportunities, a spokesperson said.
The first attempt to stop the criminal was putting up signs saying 'smile, you are on camera'. When that didn't work, Matt and the locals considered installing their own CCTV cameras but found it would have been too expensive.
Following the third attack on October 4, Matt asked permission of the wall owner, outdoor maintenance company Green Belt, to take a loose stone and attach an AirTag inside, to which they agreed.
Stones recovered and suspect caught
On the morning of October 25, Matt woke up to notifications revealing the stones had been stolen overnight. He contacted the police about their whereabouts. The South Rural Task Force from Lancashire Police attended the scene and found a substantial amount of coping stones from the wall worth approximately £7,000. According to Matt, the estimated total value may be up to £40,000 due to dozens of other stones also being found from across the country.
Later that day, four local farmers picked up the stones and took them to police headquarters. Matt said: "It was a great feeling to know we had found the man responsible for causing the community so much pain."
Barker was charged with one count of handling stolen goods and two counts of theft, which he pleaded not guilty to. However, he changed his plea on all offences on May 19 this year. He was also given a 22-month probation requirement and fined £587 for court costs during his sentencing at Wigan Magistrates Court on October 16.
The stones were reinstalled by Matt and Anthony James Construction in December last year. Matt said it was a 'great Christmas present for the villages'.
PC Sean Dalby, of the South Rural Task Force, said: "This type of crime has a significant impact on rural communities, both financially and emotionally. This case highlights the strong relationships we have developed with our communities and demonstrates the effectiveness of working together to tackle rural and heritage crime. I would like to thank the local residents for their support throughout the investigation, as well as those who gave their time to rebuild the wall free of charge."
Mark Harrison, Head of Heritage Crime at Historic England, added: "The successful return of these historic coping stones demonstrates the important contribution that local communities and the police can make to safeguard our heritage. Traditional stone walls are an intrinsic part of the Lancashire landscape and their protection helps to maintain its distinctive character for future generations."
