BOSSES at an Accrington firm have thanked a Good Samaritan who helped to thwart a £30,000 burglary at their premises.

Blackburn magistrates heard Joanne McCarthy had a haul of Yankee candles and computer equipment piled up in the loading bay at Celebrate Gifts when police arrived.

Managing director Paul Bloor has now issued a vote of thanks to an anonymous tipster who contacted police after spotting suspicious activity at their Cannon Corner premises.

Mr Bloor said: “We are eternally grateful. And we were very fortunate that all of the property was recovered.”

Magistrates were told McCarthy had keys to a hire van which was parked nearby and which contained her purse and identification.

McCarthy, 36, of Belfield Road, Accrington, pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal and was sent on bail to Burnley Crown Court for sentence on February 4.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said police were called to the Cannon Street shop and warehouse in the evening after a woman had been seen inside after hours.

They knocked on a window and saw a woman run into a back room.

The keyholder arrived and police arrested McCarthy.

Mrs White said boxes of candles, computers, printers and a laptop were stacked up in a loading bay and the offices had been ransacked.

McCarthy had £196 in cash, taken from a charity box and the till, and two sets of Mercedes keys.

“There had been no forced entry to the premises and no forcing of the till despite the fact it could only be opened with an electronic personal identification number (PIN),” said Mrs White.

“The keys belonged to a company vehicle and another van which was parked nearby.”

Mrs White said 7,500 small candles and 247 larger ones had been packed in boxes and stacked alongside four computers, two printers and a laptop.

“The owner estimates the value of the stock at between £25,000 and £30,000,” said Mrs White.

“The use of a hire van to drive to the premises suggests an element of pre-planning.”

Shaun Finnigan, defending, said his client had no previous convictions and was genuinely remorseful.

Celebrate Gifts opened for business in the summer of 2017 and within months had clinched a key order with the mail order internet giant Amazon.