A BURNLEY entertainer had his gear stolen from his car after leaving it parked outside the Royal Dyche pub following a gig.
Blackburn magistrates heard the next day when he returned to the pub he saw the thief retrieving his property from the side of a taxi office.
The court was told a protracted battle followed as the music maker trued to detain Christian Carl Wheadon.
Wheadon, 34, of Pine Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to theft of a drum, ear phones and electrical cable belonging to William Strahan. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.
Rafih Khan, prosecuting, said Mr Strahan had finished a gig at the Royal Dyche and loaded his equipment into his car which he was leaving overnight at the side of the pub. He was later informed a window had been smashed and his car broken into.
"All his equipment, apart from a bass drum, had been removed from the car," said Mr Khan. "The next day he was at the Royal Dyche trying to sort things out when he saw the defendant getting into a taxi carrying some of his equipment."
Mr Strahan went to detain Wheadon who offered to show him where the rest of his property was. He said he hadn't broken into the car and had found the gear by the canal.
"He got up and tried to run off but Mr Strahan took hold of him again," said Mr Khan. "The defendant tried to punch the aggrieved and spat at him and tried to bite him. He made threats to stab him"
Mr Khan said Mr Strahan would not let him back up because he would either assault him or run off. A police patrol was flagged down and Wheadon arrested.
Mark Williams, defending, said his client accepted the theft but took issue with some of the details of what was said and done while he was being detained.
"He had left the items at the side of the taxi office and went back the next morning intending to put them in a taxi ad take them away," said Mr Williams.
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