Stolen shooting kit found by Facebook

The 32-year-old man, who does not want to be identified because he owns shotguns that could attract thieves, did not realise the bag had been stolen when his car was broken into at the beginning of June and didn’t bother contacting police.

In fact he only discovered what had been taken when a pal who lives in Bradford spotted the distinctive shooting bag on a Facebook appeal by Nottinghamshire police and alerted him.

He got in touch with Mansfield Volume Crime Team who were able to use his statement to lock up the culprit.

The 32-year-old man said: “The car was broken into on the Thursday. A neighbour told me the door was open at 5.30am.”

The offender Patrick Bust, 41, of Brookdale Avenue, Sutton-in-Ashfield, was arrested and charged with the theft. At Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Monday 16th June he was sentenced to 30 weeks in prison.

DS 138 Andy Hall said: “Because he was able to give a victim statement we were able to secure a conviction and lock up a prolific offender.

“This just goes to show that if you do engage with the police this is what can happen. It’s thanks to people using the press. It’s a cracking result all round.”

The 32-year-old man said: “I didn’t contact the police because I had my car stolen when I was 21 and the police didn’t come out.

“I lost a lot of faith in them.I have definitely changed my mind about them - they have been brilliant.”