Man jailed for series of bowling alley thefts

A "brazen" thief who broke into arcade machines at bowling alleys and caused more than £4,000 worth of damage has been jailed.

Damien Rigby, of Hindley, Wigan, stole money from arcade machines at Superbowl UK in Golden Square Shopping Centre, Warrington, three times earlier this year, Cheshire Police said.

He also targeted arcade machines at Superbowl UK at the Hive Leisure Park in Widnes on 25 August.

The 38-year-old, who pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and criminal damage, was jailed for six months.

Police said Rigby, of Lancaster Road, damaged and stole £273 from two arcade machines at the Golden Square Shopping Centre on 19 May.

The cost of damages to the two machines was £1,195, police said.

Two months later, Rigby was captured on CCTV using a screwdriver to tamper with an arcade machine and empty £309.50 into his pockets at the same bowling alley.

On this occasion it caused £1,045 of damage to the arcade machines, police said.

Then on 14 August, Rigby returned to the same bowling alley for a third time and damaged three arcade machines, taking £178.30 and causing £1,485 of damage.

Less than two weeks later, on 25 August, Rigby caused £905 worth of damage to two arcade machines and stole £95.20 at the Widnes branch of Superbowl UK.

Police said he was identified on CCTV and subsequently arrested on 30 September.

Rigby was also ordered to pay almost £5,500 in compensation for the money he stole and the damages caused.

Insp Lee Hillyard said: "Rigby was completely brazen in his offending, targeting premises during opening hours, just metres away from those who were enjoying time at the bowling alley.

"It's clear he had absolutely no regard for others, or for those he was stealing from, only wanting to get a bit of extra cash."

He added: "But his efforts were to no avail. His offending was clearly captured on CCTV, leaving him with no choice but to plead guilty."

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