Firefighter jailed for selling £50k of ‘vital' kit on eBay

A FIREMAN has been jailed after stealing more than £50,000 worth of equipment – including vital kit for colleagues – and selling it on eBay.

- Ashley Pemberton

Michael Todhunter, 50, stashed the gear in his garage – including breathing apparatus, respirator masks, firefighter axes and even PPE kit during the pandemic.

Senior officers were astonished when they discovered he had been stealing from the fire service for 17 years – and found defibrillators, helmets, and floodlight kits at his home.

Todhunter, who had served with Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service for more than 30 years, admitted two thefts and one fraud at Carlisle Crown Court.