A Leicestershire man has been sentenced to 32 months in prison following the theft of an historic candelabra valued at tens of thousands of pounds.
Tyson Wilsher was jailed for offences including the theft of the candelabra from Cyfarthfa Castle – an incident which shocked a group of schoolchildren who witnessed it – on April 8.
Wilsher, 31, was also this week sentenced for receiving stolen goods. A couple of weeks earlier, on March 24, a delivery driver had his silver Ford car stolen after briefly having left it running with the keys still in the ignition.
At some point after the theft of the car, Wilsher ended up in possession of it.
Then, on April 8, Wilsher entered Cyfarthfa Castle during an event where local primary schoolchildren were presenting their projects to judges and guests. He talked to the receptionist at the castle, before making his way to the Crawshay Room.
In a brazen act, Wilsher smashed the glass of a display cabinet using a brick and stole a candelabra with a value of around £80,000.
This caused substantial damage to both the cabinet and several items within it. Following the theft, Wilsher fled the castle, escaping in the silver Ford which was recorded on an approaching car’s dashcam footage as it sped away through the castle car park’s one-way entry system.
On the same day, officers found the stolen silver vehicle in the car park of Bryn Mair, Dowlais. A forensic examination found Wilsher’s fingerprints in the vehicle.
Throughout the investigation, officers recovered various pieces of CCTV footage that showcased Wilsher’s movements in the Merthyr area from March 22 to April 8. This video evidence captured him buying the shoes he wore during the theft and criminal damage at Cyfarthfa Castle, as well as clothing from an Aldi store.
On Tuesday, July 15, Wilsher, from Barlestone Road, Bagworth, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court to two years and eight months for theft, receiving stolen goods, and criminal damage to property.
Sergeant Watts said:
“This was a brazen theft in broad daylight, that left a group of schoolchildren shocked and upset.
“Through the work of the investigation team, we were able to identify Tyson Wilsher and bring him to justice, Wilsher’s actions show he believed he was above the law and didn’t care about how his actions impacted the venue. I’m pleased to see the sentence determined by the courts.”
