A THIEF was caught trying to steal gravestones to order from a cemetery by an off duty police man.

PC Nigel Keates was walking his dog in Walton Lane cemetery in Nelson when he spotted Liam Darcy desecrating 25 burial plots.

He said he saw Darcy piling up the slabs on top of plots ready for transportation, which he was paid just £30 for.

But after Darcy realised he had been discovered, he left the slabs in the cemetery before escaping in a getaway van with an unnamed accomplice, who has never been found or convicted.

Darcy, 50, of Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, pleaded guilty to attempted theft at Burnley Magistrates Court.

He was handed a suspended jail sentence, four-month curfew and ordered to pay £500 compensation.

The shocking incident happened on July 9 this year, the court heard.

PC Keates, of Colne and West Craven Police, described 'heartless and callous' Darcy and his accomplice as the 'lowest of the low'.

He said: "I was out walking my dog in the cemetery at around 10pm.

"The grave yard looked empty but then I saw Darcy digging away at the headstone, while his accomplice was doing the same with another one.

"So I went to approach them but the moment they saw me, they ran off and left the cemetery in their van.

"They didn't take any of the slabs which they had left piled up ready for transportation on top of plots.

"It was easy for them to get a van into the cemetery as there is a wide entrance and lots of pavement.

PC Keates said that after the pair went, he went back home and got a trolley before keeping them safely locked away in the chapel of rest at the cemetery.

He then contacted the police and informed Pendle Council about the slabs which he said have now been recovered.

He said: "They tried to take the paving slabs over the top of the gravestones.

"I suspect their motive was money, as the slabs can be used to lay down patios.

"They were just normal gravestones probably made of York stone.

"In total, I'd say they desecrated at least 25 burial plots, which thankfully I stopped them from taking.

"I had been visiting the cemetery more often though, as I had received from reports from residents of slabs being stolen from gravestones.

"It's hard to police a cemetery though as you can't really have CCTV there and we don't really have the resources, so I would urge anyone who does see anything suspicious to report it to the neighbourhood policing team.

"I am pleased to report though that there have been no such incidents since.

"This is a really despicable, callous and heartless crime, which I think is the lowest of the low, as family who have lost ones are going through enough without people doing things such as this.

"Some of these gravestones are also very old and date back to the early 20th century.

Cllr David Whipp, executive member overseeing neighbourhood services at Pendle Council described the incident as 'absolutely appalling'.

He said: "It's disgraceful and really shocking and beyond belief.

"I would also praise the police officer and anyone else involved with apprehending and prosecuting the individual concerned."

It comes after thieves who stole lead and gravestones from the cemetery in January were branded 'despicable' by PC Keates.

Vandals had left the Grade II listed chapel of rest at the cemetery with water pouring in through the roof and at least one vault open to the elements.