Stourbridge church raider jailed over Black Country Radio haul theft

Cocaine addict Jason Pettit knew the code to St John's Reform Church in Stourbridge because he had used its food bank, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The 38-year-old deactivated the intruder alarm and headed for the room at the rear of the building where Black Country Radio had its studio, explained Mr Waheed Baber, prosecuting.

The defendant then stole speakers, mixer and balancing units, an amplifier and other items before fleeing with the haul during the night of September 8.

The volunteer staff discovered the break-in when they arrived for work early the following morning and the radio station was off air for 18 hours until replacement equipment could be installed.

Pettit also disabled CCTV cameras at the scene but missed one which captured film of the break-in – and led to his capture.

A police officer was shown the footage and recognised the prolific offender who was on licence from prison after being freed early from an earlier sentence.

Pettit was traced and arrested at his home on September 20. None of the stolen property has been recovered and a second person involved in the crime is still at large.

Mr Baber continued: "The defendant had been to a food bank at the church and had the code for entry to the property.

"The burglary caused significant disruption to the running of the radio station."

Mr Lewis Perry, defending, explained: "He was funding his cocaine habit and maintains that somebody else had given him the combination code.

"He now wants a fresh start away from associates and drug debts."

Pettit from Stourbridge Road, Stourbridge, admitted the burglary.

At a previous hearing he had denied being the culprit seen on CCTV.

He was jailed for two years by Recorder Michelle Heeley QC, who told him: "You burgled a church.

"It takes a special kind of low to commit that kind of offence.

"They were trying to provide a community service and you took their equipment.

"Then you told a bare-faced lie on your last appearance by saying it was not you on the CCTV footage."

Mr Alex Totney, Black Country Radio Chief Executive, said later: "This wiped us out completely.

"Our tech team worked for 18 hours to restore the service with back-up equipment.

"The station has been on the air for nine years during which the staff, who are all volunteers, worked hard for the community."

Finance Director Dave Brownhill added: "The burglar turned the cameras round so as he would not be filmed but missed one.

"The shock was that somebody had gone into a church to do this."