Man who stole 200,000 Cadbury Creme Eggs convicted

A antheral who stole 200,000 Cadbury Creme Eggs, causing a constabulary panic astir Easter, has been convicted successful court.

Joby Pool was surrounded by a upland of the foil-wrapped cocoa erstwhile constabulary caught up with him astatine the weekend.

Recognising helium was foiled too, and that "an oeuf was an oeuf", helium surrendered to officers with his hands up, prosecutors said.

There was, however, nary item successful tribunal astir however chocolatey his digits were.

Pool, 32, utilized a stolen lorry with mendacious plates to snatch the eggs from an concern portion successful Telford connected Saturday, Kidderminster Magistrates' Court heard.

The BBC reported connected Monday however the conveyance was stopped connected the M42 motorway, starring West Mercia Police to accidental its officers - hunting idiosyncratic "presumably purporting to beryllium the Easter bunny" - had "saved Easter".

It was during the constabulary cognition that Pool, from West Yorkshire, raised his hands to the unit successful resignation things were not truthful overmuch Wonka arsenic wonky.

At tribunal connected Tuesday, Pool pleaded blameworthy to transgression harm and theft.

Prosecutor Owen Beale said the offence was not "spur of the moment", and determination had been "significant planning".

Police said Pool had utilized a metallic grinder to get done the gates of the concern portion from wherever helium stole different varieties of chocolate.

Pool drove distant his bounty earlier the program started to flake erstwhile helium reached the northbound M42 wherever constabulary pounced.

Mr Beale said: "He gave up astatine junction 11 and walked towards the constabulary with his hands up - helium was arrested and the load was recovered."

The haul was said to beryllium worthy much than £31,000 - astir £9,000 little than Monday's constabulary estimate.

Magistrates were told Pool had erstwhile convictions successful 2019 for akin offences including theft, handling stolen goods and driving portion disqualified.

He has been remanded successful custody and is owed to look astatine Shrewsbury Crown Court connected 14 March for sentencing.