Alan Fowler, 49, broke into Lidl in Benwell using a crowbar and made off with £800-worth of stock loaded into a wheelie bin. The burglary, which took place during the night, caused £2,000-worth of damage to the store. Fowler was later identified from CCTV footage due to his "distinct clothing", prosecutors said.
Crowbar found at home matched door paint
Officers attended Fowler's home after the incident and discovered a crowbar with paint on it that matched the paint on the door at Lidl. Fowler, of Amelia Walk in Scotswood, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary of a non-dwelling during a hearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court.
Prosecutor Ruth Forster said an alarm company contacted the store manager on March 29 last year to report that the alarm had been activated. The manager attended and confirmed entry had been gained and there was damage to a door. Goods had been taken, and CCTV showed Fowler selecting items and placing them in a wheelie bin.
Previous record and sentencing adjourned
The court heard that Fowler had 97 offences on his record but had only been in trouble twice since 2002. Liz Dunbar, defending, conceded that a pre-sentence report would be needed, and the case was adjourned for sentencing until September 18. Fowler was released on unconditional bail in the meantime.
