Man stole laptop for his wife, court hears

Raimais Cepukaitis stole more than £1,000 of computer equipment from St Bartholomew's School in Newbury

A 31-YEAR-OLD man who stole more than £1,000 worth of computer equipment from St Bartholomew's School in Newbury where he was working at the time, carried out the burglary so he had Christmas presents for his wife, magistrates heard.

Raimais Cepukaitis of Exeter Close, Newham, London, trespassed into the school's staff room on December 16 last year where he stole two laptops and an external hard drive with the estimated value of £1,360.

The court heard how the Lithuanian, who had an interpreter with him at West Berkshire Magistrates Court on Thursday (May 26), was working at the school in Andover Road at the time of the incident.

Jo Belsey, prosecuting, said: “The deputy headteacher of the school explained that the school was undergoing some construction work. There is a company with the contract who have sub contracted some of the work to a firm called Pan Interiors who the defendant was employed by at the time.

“The defendant had been given a list of jobs to do. He had no need to enter the school staff room, however on the morning in question, school staff found that two laptops and an external hard drive had been stolen from the school staff room.

“CCTV clearly shows the defendant and another man going into the staff room and concealing the items in their hooded jackets.

“The defendant was arrested along with the other man pictured in the CCTV footage. He said he wanted a laptop to give to his wife for Christmas so he took it and put it in his colleague's car.

“The other man was also charged and was given a caution.”

Mr Cepukaitis, who has previous offences of shoplifting in 2011 and 2006, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary.

Charles Maidstone, defending, told the court that the equipment had been returned to the school.

Mr Maidstone said: “He admitted his guilt at the police station and has given a guilty plea today.

“He wanted a laptop for his wife for christmas but was short of funds.”

The 31-year-old was released on unconditional bail for a pre-sentence report to be prepared before sentencing at West Berkshire Magistrates Court on June 23.