Two men sentenced after Corby McDonald's staff caught them red-handed trying to steal a bike

A pair of would-be bike thieves have admitted trying to steal a bike in Corby town centre after McDonald's staff saw the crime in action and phoned 999.

Last month, the Northants Telegraph revealed how Corby Police had intercepted the thieves on June 7 after being tipped-off by people inside the takeaway that the crime was ongoing.

Officers, who are based just across the road in the Corby Cube, were able to arrest the pair on the scene in George Street and they appeared before magistrates last week.

Romanian nationals Florin Mantu, 47, and Razvan Vulpescu, 27, who both live in the same house in Cresswell Walk on the Shire Lodge estate pleaded guilty to the theft when they appeared before magistrates on July 14.

They were fined £300 each, told to pay costs of £85 each and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £32 each. They will have to pay the fine at a rate of £100 per month.

A pair of bolt croppers belonging to the men was confiscated.