Lee Geldard was jailed for 16 weeks at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court yesterday (January 16) after admitting to trying to steal a van at the King’s Church Foodbank on Whessoe Road.
The 50-year-old had visited the foodbank last Friday, where staff had given him a new deerstalker hat and a pair of gloves to stay warm in the colder weather.
However, while they were busy collecting some toiletries for him, Geldard, of Peabody Street in Darlington, took the opportunity to steal a set of van keys that had been left on a desk.
As staff noticed the lights to the van coming on in the car park, they immediately ran outside and dragged Geldard out of the driver’s seat.
Geldard then dropped the keys and ran off.
Officers arrested him the following morning and brought him into custody, where was charged with attempted theft of a motor vehicle and failing to provide a sample for drug testing.
Geldard pleaded guilty to the offences on Thursday.
This also activated a suspended sentence imposed last year for a racially aggravated assault, and he was jailed for seven months in total.
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Detective Inspector Claire Callaghan, from Darlington CID, said: “King’s Church provide vital support to the most vulnerable in our community – to target them in this way is despicable.
“I hope Geldard uses his time in prison to reflect on his actions and their consequences.
“We’d like to thank the staff and volunteers at King’s Church for their quick-thinking actions at the scene, which ultimately stopped Geldard from being able to make off in the van.”