Police were led to the house of a bungling crook, who did not realise there was a tracker in the £3,000 industrial generator he nicked from work.
Anton Peter Arber, 34, a self-confessed “complete idiot” even went to the trouble of grinding down the serial number and painting it black in a bid to disguise it.
Arber, of Stella Maris Close, Canvey Island, Essex was immediately sacked from his £1,000 a week job by construction company Clancy Docwra Ltd.
He pleaded guilty today to stealing the Ingersoll Rand compressor generator while working at Thames Water’s Hogsmill Sewage Treatment Works, Lower Marsh Lane, Kingston-upon-Thames.
Prosecutor Miss Amanda McCabe told Wimbledon Magistrates Court a stock-take on February 29 showed the generator was missing and it was reported to the police on March 31.
“The next day Essex Police attended Canvey Island because the generator had a tracking device, which led them to Stella Maris Close, the defendant’s address.
“They were invited in by the defendant’s wife and in the back garden they found the generator, which had been painted black.”
When Arber was questioned he initially claimed he took it home to fix it, but eventually confessed he intended to sell it on eBay.
He told the court: “I’m guilty by being a complete idiot. It was taken home over Christmas and sat there until it was recovered.
“It was only recently painted, it was complete stupidity.
“Maybe it had a sale value of five hundred pounds, but I was earning double that.
“I lost my job the day the police came around and the children have seen the police going through the house.
“I’m very sorry for what I’ve done.”
Amber was placed on a twelve-month community order, which includes 120 hours community service work.
He must pay £1,000 compensation to Clancy Docwra, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
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