A BURGLAR who helped steal £2,500 worth of bikes from a garage will pay just £40 compensation to his victim - because he already owes so much compensation from his other crimes.

Steven Lumley, 27, of Freemans Place, Darlington, acted as a look-out during a series of raids on house garages in the town’s Salutation Road on April 10.

In one, the pair grabbed three specialist cycles used for racing, worth £2,500 in total.

In another raid, the two crooks were disturbed and ran off empty handed.

Prosecutor Andrea Milsom told Newton Aycliffe magistrates that Lumley wanted two further burglary offences that same night to be taken into consideration.

“Lumley tried to help the police after he was arrested," she said. "He took officers to two places where the bikes had been but they were no longer there.”

Liam Brison, mitigating, said Lumley had provided police with his accomplice's name but that the bikes have not been recovered.

He said: “He feels he has been stupid to have been talked into doing these offences. He was just the look-out.”

Lumley admitted burglary and attempted burglary.

Magistrates imposed a 12 week jail sentence on Lumley for the burglary and an eight week jail sentence for the attempted burglary.

The jail terms was suspended for 18-months but a 12-month probation order was imposed on him.

He was also ordered to pay £40 compensation as he already owes so much on similar orders made for previous crimes.

Lumley will pay no costs or victim surcharge and no further action was taken regarding breaches of a conditional discharge.