Wigan man caught stealing historic stones with tracking devices

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 16:02 · Archive

A Wigan man was convicted of stealing coping stones worth £7,000 from historic walls after local residents placed tracking devices in the stones.

Craig Barker of Wigan admitted two counts of theft and one count of handling stolen goods relating to a series of thefts from historic boundary walls in the Rufford area of West Lancashire during 2025. The coping stones stolen were valued at approximately £7,000. The thefts occurred over several months and caused significant concern within the local community.

Police found the case particularly challenging due to the isolated locations of the crimes, the absence of CCTV and limited forensic opportunities. In response to these difficulties, local residents developed an innovative solution. They placed discreet tracking devices within a number of vulnerable coping stones that they suspected would be targeted.

On the evening of 25 October, stones were taken from a location. Among them was one equipped with a tracking device. Officers traced the stone's location to Barker's home address in Tan House Drive, Wigan, where a search retrieved the stolen coping stones. Barker pleaded guilty at Wigan Magistrates' Court on 16 October and received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 22 months.

How it is being reported

• Tracking devices hidden in masonry snared a Wigan thief, a court hearsA Wigan thief who stole valuable coping stones from walls in the countryside was brought to justice by an ingenious piece of amateur sleuthingWigan Today · 21 Oct, 15:45
• Wigan man rumbled by locals after stealing stones worth £7,000 from historic sitesA series of thefts of coping stones from historic boundary walls in West Lancashire took place over several months last yearManchester Evening News · 20 Oct, 22:38

In this story: Craig Barker · Wigan · Rufford · West Lancashire · Wigan Magistrates' Court

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