Man jailed for stealing police lights

A man has been jailed after stealing the lights from the top of a police car for "bragging rights".

British Transport Police said David McBeth, 30, jumped on the roof of one of their vehicles when it was parked in Sunderland in 2018.

He pulled and kicked at the emergency lights before eventually ripping them off and walking away with them.

David was caught on CCTV with the lights over his shoulder and they were never recovered.

The damage and the cost of hiring a replacement vehicle was £1,000.

PC Michael Proudfoot, of British Transport Police, said: "This was an act of sheer stupidity, he targeted a squad car in clear view of cameras and would not stop until he got hold of the emergency lights.

"You can only imagine he did this for some nonsense bragging rights."

McBeth pleaded guilty to the crime and has been jailed for 10 weeks.

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