Pair remanded in custody after attempted ATM theft

Pair remanded in custody after attempted ATM theft

27 November 2019

TWO men have appeared in court in relation to last week’s attempted theft of a cash machine from Carlisles’ service station in Ballynahinch.

Darren Porter (25), of Listooder Park, Saintfield, and Andrew Boyd (26), of no fixed abode, were both remanded in custody.

Boyd appeared at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday, while Porter appeared at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court the following day.

They are both charged with burglary of Carlisles’, causing criminal damage to the forecourt canopy endangering life and aggravated vehicle theft of a digger last Monday, November 18.

Boyd is also accused of stealing a trailer, while Porter is also charged with carrying out a burglary at a building site in Comber on a date between November 16 and November 18.

Police officers said they believed they could connect both men to the charges.

No bail application was made in respect of Boyd. However, bail was refused for Porter.

At Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court on Thursday a detective constable said a trailer had been stolen from Croob Park in Ballynahinch while CCTV 

footage from a quarry close to Carlisles’ garage showed the digger and a VW Passat leaving at 5.10am.

The officer described how the stolen digger was used to ram the ATM around 30 times and when that didn’t work, the driver used it to ram the front of the shop.

Two men entered the shop and stole scratch cards, cash and cigarettes.

The owner of the filling station arrived at the scene and saw two men getting into the VW Passat. A third man got into the digger and crashed into the canopy as he tried to drive away.

The detective said the stolen digger was found abandoned close to the quarry where it had been stolen from. The trailer was found abandoned on the Ballynahinch Road outside Saintfield and the Passat was found burnt out around 200 yards away from Porter’s home.

The detective said Porter was seen running from the burnt out car and clothes found in Porter’s house matched those seen on CCTV footage of the incident at Carlisles’.

The detective also said there was evidence to show Porter had used his mobile phone to contact Boyd.

The detective said police were opposing bail on the grounds of the risk of further offending and interference of witnesses.

Under cross examination from Porter’s defence solicitor, the officer said Porter denied all the charges against him.

The solicitor said Porter had co-operated fully with police and there was no forensic evidence to link him with the incident.

He also said Porter could live at an address in Templepatrick if he was released on bail.

Refusing bail, District Judge Amanda Brady said the police investigation was “fresh and ongoing” and she shared police concerns.

Porter and Boyd will appear at Downpatrick Court via video link on December 12.

A 22-year-old woman will appear at Downpatrick Court on December 18 charged with two counts of handling stolen goods and one count each of attempting to pervert the course of justice, driving with no insurance and driving whilst unaccompanied.