THE safe at a coin and stamp dealer’s premises was emptied in a break-in while the owner was in hospital, a court heard.

An estimated £24,400 in sterling, 400 euros and some personal documents were taken in the burglary at JRC Stamps and Coins, in Willington, County Durham, last August.

Durham Crown Court heard that on August 30 a passer-by found stationery on the ground outside the premises, in the village High Street, and noticed a rear door appeared to have been forced.

Yvonne Taylor, prosecuting, told the court that the owner had been in hospital since August 26 and so a relative was notified.

On further checking it was discovered the shop and upstairs flat had been ransacked, with the safe contents removed after its door appeared to have been forced open.

Mrs Taylor said two men suspected of involvement in the raid were arrested and interviewed, but no further action was taken.

Following further inquiries, 21-year-old Scott Airey was arrested on November 24. He claimed to have had nothing to do with the burglary.

Airey told police he had visited a friend in the High Street on the night the burglary was suspected to have taken place.

He was bailed and two days later 18-year-old Steven Race was arrested.

Mrs Taylor said Race admitted involvement, but only as a look-out, for which he received £200.

Airey was further interviewed later that day and he made admissions, but also claimed he was only a lookout, for which he, too, said he received £200.

Mrs Taylor said the 67-yearold business owner said he kept large amounts of cash to buy stock which often came on the market at short notice.

He said the money was also his savings for his old age and, since the burglary, he has not wanted to visit the premises, so he has had to hire staff to run the business.

Race, of Hall Terrace, Willington, and Airey, now 22, of Sherburn Terrace, Consett, both admitted burglary.

Ian West, for Race, said: “They were party to an offence involving others.

“It was committed on impulse with limited intrusion by them – just keeping a lookout while others ransacked the property.”

Shaun Dryden, for Airey, said he, too, played a “subordinate role”, for which he received a “relatively paltry sum”.

Recorder Ian Atherton said: “I accept you were coerced to take part by others who have not been brought to justice and you both gained very little for your part acting as look-outs.”

Race was sentenced to nine months in a young offenders’ institution, suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours’ unpaid work as part of a 12- month supervision order.

Sentence on Airey was deferred until July 11.