[CPProt.net] man who stole one of the UK's largest model railway collections was caught after he tried to sell part of the set on eBay

[MSN CPPnet]

Train robber tracked by eBay sale 

June 23, 2005

A man who stole one of the UK's largest model railway collections was caught
after he tried to sell part of the set on eBay, a court heard. 
The collection, which was estimated to be worth at least £20,000 and had
"massive sentimental value", was housed in a small museum in Blairgowrie. 

Robert Adam carried out the theft over 10 weeks after the museum closed. 

Sentence on the 51-year-old, from Coupar Angus, in Perthshire, was deferred
at Perth Sheriff Court. 

Adam admitted stealing model railway equipment from Keathbank Mill between
January and March this year. 

Small museum 

The collection had been built up by enthusiast Patrick Stewart-Blacker over
the course of a decade. 

It was housed and displayed at a small museum at Keathbank Mill before it
closed down. 

His son Peter, 45, made an emotional plea for its return after it went
missing earlier this year. 


 It was my father's last big project and took up 10 years of his life 
Peter Stewart-Blacker  

The court heard that Adam came under suspicion because he had previously
worked at the mill. 

He returned several times during the first 10 weeks of this year, stealing
almost the entire collection. 

Fiscal depute Margo Addison-Scott said the value of the track and engines
stolen was in the region of £20,000. 

The electrically-powered trains were all hand made in metal and ran on a
track which was too big to be contained within a private house. 

After the theft Adam was found to have approached specialist dealers in an
attempt to cash in on the stolen goods. 

Auction site 

He even tried to sell part of the collection at a car boot sale. 

However, police caught up with Adam when he offered items for sale on
internet auction site eBay. 

Detectives recognised them during a search of the site and made contact with
the seller, who turned out to be Adam. 


Peter Stewart-Blacker said the trains and track had been stolen while
efforts were under way to find a new home for the collection. 

"It has a massive sentimental value and we really wanted to keep it
together," he said. 

Mr Stewart-Blacker said he had been told that a substantial part of the
collection had been found by police. 

"I'm looking forward to getting it back," he added. 

"Until I get it back we won't know exactly how much of it has been saved. He
had been selling it for a while. 

"I'm just delighted that a fair amount of it has been recovered. It was my
father's last big project and took up 10 years of his life." 

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4124190.stm