‘Pirates’ captured on punt after raid

Four ‘Fen pirates’ who plundered craft moored at a Cambridgeshire boatyard were caught by police as they were making their getaway on a punt. The gang of riverborne thieves were arrested on the River Ouse after a raid on The Haven, in Low Road, St Ives, in the early hours of Friday, July 3, Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court was told.

The court heard the four-strong group broke in to 16 unoccupied boats, causing damage costing almost £2,500, before loading luxury electrical items on to a waiting punt. But they were picked up by police hours later after officers used night vision goggles to find them bobbing along the Fenland river.

Officers discovered the gang’s getaway punt had been laden with two flatscreen TVs, a DVD player, two electricity generators and a large amount of alcohol. Police even found a captain’s hat, which had been stolen from one of the boats.



James Parkinson, 26 of Thames Road, Huntingdon, Khushmet Bardell, 22, of The Crescent, St Ives, and Rachel Helleur, 19, of Waveney Road, St Ives, all pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and two counts of criminal damage. A 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also been arrested in connection to the thefts.

Michael Williamson, chairman of the bench, said: “We have not at this stage ruled out custody and all possibilities will be considered.” The pair were released on bail and will appear again before Huntingdon magistrates for sentence on Thursday, August 6.

Helleur was ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work in the community and pay a total of £450 in compensation to the boat owners.