Post office raids accused were being watched by police, Wick Sheriff Court told
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A JURY has heard about a surveillance operation on two men accused of carrying out a series of break-ins in the Highlands.
Detective Constable Alan Gibson, who was part of a team involved in the work, was monitoring a white Vauxhall Omega which parked at a supermarket in Fort William. Two people were in the car. They got out and went into the café at the store.
The detective identified the men as John Hind and Matthew Peters, who have pleaded not guilty to stealing £34,497.60 in cash and £10,508.97 in stock from break-ins at post offices and commercial premises in the North between July 27 and October 12, 2007.
At the time of the surveillance, Mr Gibson described Peters as shaven-headed, about six feet tall, well-built and wearing a dark shirt.
But advocate Alan Macleod, who represents Peters, took issue with the description and claimed his client is not well-built and is 5ft 8in tall.
Hind (54), from Colne in Lancashire, and Peters (40), from Bournemouth, are on indictment and face a total of 17 charges, including alleged break-ins at eight post offices and an attempted break-in at Dunbeath Post Office.
The trial before Sheriff Andrew Berry will continue on Monday.
For full story see Friday’s John O’Groat Journal.
