Marine stole Comrades' medals

[thedrifter]

Marine stole Comrades' medals

Saturday, September 27, 2008, 10:45

A FORMER Plymouth Royal Marine has admitted stealing and selling on service medals worth thousands of pounds from comrades-in-arms.

Craig Firth, 23, yesterday appeared at Plymouth Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to stealing medals from his fellow Royal Marines at Bickleigh Barracks between 2005 and last year.

Firth admitted between September 2006 and March last year he burgled the room of Samuel Arnold and stole medals worth £1,000.

Between April and October last year he entered the room of another Marine and stole a set of medals awarded to him and worth £460, while in March last year he stole a medal awarded to Geoffrey Southall-Owen for long service and good conduct which was worth £76.

Between September 2005 and July 2006 Firth took an Iraq operation service medal, worth £466, belonging to Raymond Lowrie.


Firth also admitted stealing a package of 31 medals belonging to the Ministry of Defence while working in a post-room.

He pleaded guilty to two further theft charges, of stealing items worth £968. They included a hand- held PC, digital camera and sat-nav belonging to the Ministry of Defence, and items such as a tent, plaques and hip-flasks from the stores of 42 Commando Royal Marines, between October 2006 and September last year.

Firth further admitted three charges of obtaining money transfers by deception – selling for a total of £13,415 medals which did not belong to him.

Firth now lives at Eliston Gardens, Porthleven, Helston, in Cornwall,

Appearing alongside him was 34-year-old Geoffrey Jenkin, of Trenethick Parc, Helston, who admitted disposal of the stolen medals through dealership.

Jenkin admitted two charges of handling stolen goods and three of obtaining money transfers by deception totalling £892.11.

Firth asked for two further offences of burglary and 16 further offences of theft to be taken into account, while Jenkin asked for five further handling offences to be taken into account.

Jenkin denied two other charges which the prosecution asked to be allowed to lie on file.

Both men were given unconditional bail to return to the Crown court for sentencing on October 22.

Judge Philip Wassell told the defendants: "These are undoubtedly serious offences which are likely to result in custody."

He ordered pre-sentence reports from the Probation Service, which he said would be taken into account, but warned Firth and Jenkin they must be 'realistic' about the sentences they were likely to receive.

Ellie

[outlaw3179]

What a scumbag.

[griffsigsRM]

These scumbags will get their due especially if they get a custodial sentance, most of the prison officers are ex servicemen.

[SgtThrasher]

Man,that's cold!!!

[griffsigsRM]

The comments on our home website 'Onceamarine' are a lot more harsh than that, I just hope that they do not publish their sentence hearing because they could have some vey hostile company!!!!

[yellowwing]

The comments on our home website 'Onceamarine' are a lot more harsh than that, I just hope that they do not publish their sentence hearing because they could have some vey hostile company!!!!

Sounds like it would be a nice outing for The Crew to attend the hearing!

What in the world would possess a "man" to do something this idiotic?

[griffsigsRM]

The ''Marine'' charged with the theft of the medals was given 3.5 years in prison and his uncle who sold the medal was given 2.5 years in prison. The word will be sent out to those ex Royal Marines who now work as Prison Officers, they will get what they deserve!!!!!!

[thedrifter]

Royal Marine jailed for stealing medals from brothers-in-arms

By Richard Smith 25/10/2008

Firth jailed for stealing medals

A Royal Marine was jailed yesterday for stealing 50 medals from friends serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Debt-ridden Craig Firth, 23, broke into the rooms of friends and stole the medals while on clerical duties in Britain with asthma.

They were sold on eBay for £20,000 through his uncle.

Judge Paul Darlow told Firth: "The monetary value does not begin to reflect their value to the men who earned them.

"To them they are incapable of being valued. They were awarded for acts of heroism by serving Marines or as recognition of long service in various theatres of war.

"It was a business. It is difficult to put into words just how despicable this conduct was."

Firth stole a batch of 31 campaign medals from the post room where he worked at the Royal Marines barracks in Bickleigh, Plymouth.

The medals had been sent in preparation for a ceremony when Royal Marines returned from Afghanistan.

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His uncle Geoffrey Jenkin, 34, used his eBay account to sell them - 20 are still missing. Prosecutor David Gittins said: "Firth later admitted to police making £15,000 and Jenkin £5,000.

"One colleague had to return from Afghanistan for a funeral in his full dress uniform. He had Iraq and Northern Ireland medals but they were not there."

A specialist collector in Perth, Australia, paid almost £9,000 for some and was so stunned to find out he got rid of his collection.

Plymouth crown court heard the collector said: "I've never known such cold mercenary deceit."

Firth's lawyer said: "He's disgusted with what he has done."

Firth, of Porthleven, Cornwall, admitted burglary and theft and was given three and a half years. Jenkin, of Helston, admitted deception and got two-and-a-half years.

The Marines will get replacement medals - but will be marked as such.

Ellie

[Wyoming]

The ''Marine'' charged with the theft of the medals was given 3.5 years in prison and his uncle who sold the medal was given 2.5 years in prison. The word will be sent out to those ex Royal Marines who now work as Prison Officers, they will get what they deserve!!!!!!

Excellent!! **** with one Marine, you **** with them all, Royal or U.S.

[FistFu68]

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL,IF CAUGHT I'LL CUT YOUR BALLS OFF

[Gary Treacher]

One would like to think that they will be sharing a 6ft by 10ft cell with a nice big 6ft 6inch bloke called Veronica, who shaves twice a day & will love them all night every night wether they want it or not

[griffsigsRM]

Gary

I am sure that they will not enjoy their time and if my contacts are ok they will not

[teddiaz]

I can't believe anyone would do that. But then if it's worth that kind of money I guess people will come out of the woodwork doing it.
Glad to hear their medals were replaced. I believe here in the US we can easily purchase them. But then I'm not sure if they are of the same material or quality. But, they look like it.
Glad to hear they got caught.

[ecom]

Howcome the medals cost so much? Are they made of precious metals? I could have swore the medals I had to buy were less than $10 each.

[griffsigsRM]

The medals are hard to replace if stolen or lost and are quite expensive. I lost mine after moving house and as I could not prove they were stolen I could not get true duplicated. I did get copies but at about 75 dollars each.