Retford: Man who made up £60k burglary arrested before boarding plane to Spain

Michael Anthony claimed burglars stole laptops, TVs, phones, bikes, fishing equipment, golf clubs, power tools, jewellery, computer games, DVDs and a lawnmower from his Welham Road home, on Sunday 9th June 2013.

The 44-year-old’s insurance claim totalled £60,000.

On investigation detectives from found some of the ‘stolen’ items had in fact been sold by Anthony.

Further evidence also found he was still in possession of some of the jewellery.

He was arrested last Thursday 20th February 2014 at East Midlands Airport after failing to answer bail.

He had tickets for a flight destined for Alicante in Spain.

Anthony was charged with fraud by false representation totalling £23,000.

He admitted the charge at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Friday 21st February and was sentenced to four months in jail, suspended for 12 months.

He also got a 12 month community order, 200 hours of unpaid work and must pay £160 victim surcharge and court costs.

Det Const Rachael Butler, from Worksop CID, said: “This sort of fraud will not be tolerated and as this case illustrates, you risk facing up to your crime in court.”