A convicted shop raider who was jailed after carrying out more than 20 burglaries and thefts in a year-long crime spree is heading for a new career as a security consultant for a company he targeted.
Kevin Bate, from Sunderland, and his gang were responsible for stealing cash, cigarettes and tobacco from One Stop shops and other small stores across the country after causing distractions and knocking out the CCTV.
Following his arrest, the 43-year-old wrote to bosses at One Stop to apologise and asked if he could be employed by them to help improve security.
Teesside Crown Court yesterday heard how the company was considering recruiting the career criminal as a security adviser.
However, Bate must first serve a four year jail sentence after admitting conspiracy to steal.
His barrister Stephen Rich told the court how Bate wrote to the company, while he was on remand, offering his services, the Northern Echo has reported.
He said: 'Astonishingly enough, he has received a reply which is positive. Unfortunately, he is going to be unavailable for consultation for some considerable time.'
Six of the company's stores were hit by the gang across the country during the £30,000 spree which included One Stop shops, Co-ops, Spar stores and a number of small independent traders in areas including Northumberland, Norfolk, Cumbria and Cornwall.
Bate and fellow team member Andrew Pickering, 38, from Stanley, County Durham, were jailed for four years.
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John Ramsay, 33, received 33 months, and John Wallis, 39, and John Carney, 42, also all from Sunderland, got five-and-a-half years.
Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, told them: 'If you take part in a professional conspiracy, you should expect this sort of sentence. That's part of the risk you take.'
The men, who all admitted conspiracy to steal, were caught in September last year after an investigation by nine police forces. Shops in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, Scarborough and Wallsend and Whitley Bay in North Tyneside were among those targeted.
Teesside Crown Court yesterday heard how the company was considering recruiting the career criminal as a security adviser