A ROBOTIC lawnmower proved a cut above the man who stole it.

Blackburn magistrates heard the £3,000 machine was owned by a man whose music technology had earned his company two Oscars.

And the machine proved more than a match for the criminal as it led police to his door as he slept in bed.

John Anthony Barnes, 30, of Cedar Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to theft of a Husqvarna 450X lawnmower belonging to Mark Crabtree.

He was sentenced to 14 days in prison after the court heard he was currently serving a sentence for other matters.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Mr Crabtree lived in a detached property with a fenced boundary and no public access.

He had a robotic lawnmower which was equipped with a satellite GPS to enable it to cut the lawns automatically.

“At 8.47 the tracking system indicated the lawnmower had left his premises and he contacted the police,” said Miss Allan.

“They were able to track the lawnmower to a property where Barnes was asleep in bed and he was arrested.”

Mark Williams, defending, said the theft had been opportunistic.

“He saw this lawnmower whizzing across the lawn unattended and simply took it,” said Mr Williams.

“He took it to where he was staying and went to bed, not thinking it was being tracked and the police were hot on his heels.”

Mark Crabtree is owner of AMS Neve which designs and manufactures professional audio equipment.

The company’s products are used extensively in Hollywood movies and by leading recording artists.

At the 2016 Oscars every film nominated for best picture, best sound mixing and best sound editing were made using AMS Neve film consoles.

As well as the two technical Oscars the company has won an Emmy and a Grammy.