Serial criminal behind £142k spate of camper thefts gets 38 months

CAMPERVAN owners around the North East were left devastated when thieves stole "pride and joy" vehicles worth a total of £142,000.

- By ROB KENNEDY Court reporter [e-mail]

Jackson Bainbridge stole five motorhomes from addresses in Northumberland, Gateshead and County Durham while accomplice Steven Stewart cut them up and converted them in a bid to disguise the vehicles before selling them on.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the motorhomes and campervans were stolen in June and July 2020. One, worth £23,500, was taken from outside a home in Burnopfield, County Durham, between June 24 and 25.

The victim said: "The theft came as a shock and resulted in a claim to the insurance company and raised premiums."

On June 27, a motorhome worth £25,000 was stolen from a home in Bedlington, Northumberland. CCTV recorded two men pushing it away and jumping into the cab.

The victim launched a social media campaign to trace it and was told it was parked in a cul-de-sac in Bournmoor, County Durham. But by the time police got there it had gone and remained unrecovered.

The owner said: "The theft of my campervan has really upset me. It had been revamped by me for my family and it was fully equipped and ready to go at any time when we wanted to go and use it.