One of the more unusual crime stories of the year is the retrieval of over 200 rare books, stolen from a warehouse in London and found buried beneath a house in the Romanian countryside.  The books, which include priceless first editions and antiquarian books including works by Nicolaus Copernicus, were stolen in 2017, in an audacious heist which involved criminal’s abseiling into the secure warehouse via the roof. 

The crime was committed by part of an organised gang of thieves who travel to the UK with the sole purpose of burgling commercial properties, usually stealing electrical goods that can be easily sold on.  The trend for criminals to travel to other countries to commit crimes is based on the idea that without their DNA being on file in the UK, the risk of being caught is very low if any of them accidentally leave DNA at the crime scene.  DNA evidence may be taken but without a match in the system the case goes cold, leaving the criminals free to act again and again.  This time, however, police in the UK worked with the authorities in Romania to match the DNA they found at the scene with their database, and a match was found.

The DNA was found on a broken metal ladder rung which had been left at the scene, when their escape ladder broke during the robbery.  Metallic surfaces are often the best place for evidence, including DNA and fingerprints, to be found; so perhaps if the thieves had used a wooden or rope ladder they would not have left a useable DNA profile behind?  CCTV also revealed who the suspects were and placed them in the area at the time of the heist, and these two pieces of evidence were enough to involve the Romanian police force.

Whether you're using your ladder for legal purposes, or for the purpose of committing a crime, it pays to check your ladder over before use for any parts that are damaged and could then break during use.  Obviously, we're not condoning criminal activity, but if this gang had employed proper ladder safety they may not have broken a rung – leaving it behind at the scene is carelessness, probably as a result of wanting to make a quick getaway.

Twelve men were charged and they pleaded guilty. They were sentenced at Kingston Crown Court, with each member imprisoned for more than 5 years.  It is unclear whether any of the perpetrators were injured as a result of the ladder breaking, but if so the ring leader could be in breach of health and safety laws in the workplace, although these don't normally extend to cover criminal work as well.  From the results of previous health and safety cases involving ladder accidents at work, we would expect a hefty fine at the very least.

This is a cautionary tale for anyone using a ladder; the importance of a visual inspection and proper ladder use cannot be underestimated regardless of whether that ladder is being used legitimately or by criminals.  In the worst case scenario you could be injured as well as leaving behind evidence of your involvement in a crime.