A THIEF who used a hire van to steal more than �300 worth of scrapped batteries was easily traced when inquiries were made with the hire company, magistrates were told.

Shane Gaskin, 18, admitted stealing three industrial batteries from Dimmocks Cote Quarry at Wicken; and stealing three car batteries from a garage in Hitchin.

Prosecuting at Ely courthouse, Marti Blair said a van was seen arriving at the Wicken site, and CCTV footage showed two men stealing three batteries worth �30.

A second theft, at an Audi garage in Hitchin, came to light during investigations. A van from the same hire company had been used.

Mitigating, Sandeep Kainth said the van had been hired by the other man involved in the theft.

“My client was invited to attend, and would have received a percentage of the what ever the batteries had been sold for,” he said. “All the batteries were scrap, they were not new and not resaleable.”

Gaskin. of Blackwell Site, Kings Hedges, Cambridge, was fined �80 and ordered to pay �100 compensation, �40 costs and a �15 surcharge.

Magistrates were told that the other man involved had been cautioned by police.