THIEVES caused almost £50,000 of dam- age to a computer store when they stole copper piping.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Martin Thompson and Sean Mac- donald broke into the air conditioning compound next to PC World at Bolton Gate Retail Park on April 18.

When staff arrived at the store the next morn- ing they found panels had been removed from the unit and internal copper piping, worth £4,629, had been cut away and stolen. Police were called and forensic experts found blood on the damaged casing of the unit, which was matched to prolific criminal Martin Thomp- son, whilst a fingerprint on another part of the machine was identified as belonging to another criminal, Sean Macdon- ald.

At the time Thompson, aged 39, of Blackburn Road, Bolton, was subject to a suspended prison sentence for stealing water pipes and electrical cables from Costa Coffee in Victoria Plaza last year.

Michael Blakey, prose- cuting, told the court how he had denied being involved in the theft of the piping from PC World, which cost the firm £49,000 to repair the damage, claiming his blood dated from two years previously when he used to sleep at the com- pound.

But he was found guilty of theft following a trial at Bolton Magistrates Court.

Macdonald, aged 28, of Scowcroft Street, Tonge Moor, admitted the theft when he was questioned by police, claiming he had come across the piping when walking home and sold it on for £100.

Jane Deakin, defending Thompson, said a drug habit lay at the root of his offending and drugs were also a factor in Macdon- ald’s behaviour..

Recorder Michael Red- fern QC sentenced Thompson to 12 months in jail and Macdonald to 10 months behind bars.

“The offence of stealing copper piping is preva- lent across the country at the moment,” he said.

“It causes untold dam- age, inconvenience and can threaten the commu- nity and people’s health.

“People must be deterred from interfering with power supplies to homes and businesses.”