Criminal forced into taking part in 'sophisticated' gang burglary at Wakefield business

A burglar who took part in a targeted gang raid at a Wakefield power tool company has been returned to prison.
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Ethan Bodally was caught on camera as he took part in the break-in at Kayfast Ltd, on Flanshaw Way, on March 9 this year.

Kelly Gallagher, prosecuting, said the family-run business employs 18 people and supplies building tools and components.

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Ms Gallagher said four suspects drove up to the premises in a white Transit van after staff had left it locked and secured for the night.

Kayfast Ltd.Kayfast Ltd.
Kayfast Ltd.

An angle grinder was used to cut through metal gates before chains were attached to the doors of two shipping containers.

The van was then used to pull the chains to force open the doors to the containers.

The vehicle was then driven out of the compound at the premises before they returned a short time later.

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They loaded around £25,000 worth of power tools into the van before driving away.

The business owner was then alerted that alarms had gone off at the premises and went there with a security guard.

While they were there the van returned and drove into the compound.

The security guard tried to block the van into the compound with his own vehicle and the four men ran from the van.

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Police were contacted and CCTV footage of Bodally was obtained.

The defendant was stopped in the local area as he was wearing clothing which matched the description from the footage.

Ms Gallagher said: "The defendant lives in Leeds and could not give a reason for being in the area at the time."

A forensic examination of the Transit van was carried out and Bodally's fingerprints were recovered from the driver's door.

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Bodally was interviewed and denied having driven the van or being the suspect on the CCTV footage.

The 23-year-old told officers he had been in the Ossett area drinking with a friend and been walking to get a lift home.

Bodally, of Stanks Drive, Stanks, Leeds, later pleaded guilty to burglary.

The court heard the tools stolen in the raid have never been recovered.

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The court heard Bodally was out of prison on licence at the time of the offence and was recalled to custody.

He has previous convictions for possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, aggravated vehicle taking and shoplifting.

He received a 24-month prison sentence in December 2020 for the drugs offences.

Tom Jackson, mitigating, said Bodally had been forced to commit the offence by others.

He said: "The defendant is not the sophisticated one.

"He is not a mastermind criminal."

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Mr Jackson said Bodally had been "kneecapped" by more serious criminals in an attack in 2018 and agreed to take part in the latest offence after a member of his family was threatened.

Bodally appeared in court via video link from prison.

He was tearful as he read a letter to the judge, Recorder Mark Giuliani, describing how he became involved in crime after getting in to debt when he became addicted to cocaine in 2016.

Describing how he was the victim of an attack in 2018, he said: "Three men entered my property and violently attacked me in front of my family and killed my dog."

Bodally said he agreed to become involved in the burglary after his relative was threatened.

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Bodally was given a one-year prison sentence, to run concurrent to the sentence he is currently serving.

Recorder Mark Giuliani said: "This appears to be a sophisticated and pre-planned operation.

"You were threatened by a gang. You were under the influence of others and therefore your offending will be reduced.

"You were acting under the duress of others."