Leicestershire man sentenced for Cyfarthfa Castle candelabra theft

CCTV has revealed the moment a Leicestershire man used a brick to smash a display case in a Welsh castle to steal a high value candelabra in front of terrified school children.

Tyson Wilsher, 31, from Barlestone Road, Bagworth, entered Cyfarthfa Castle in Merthyr Tydfil on April 8 as local primary school children were presenting their projects to judges and guests.

In a brazen act caught on CCTV, Wilsher briefly talked to the receptionist at the castle, before making his way to the Crawshay Room where he smashed the glass of a display cabinet and stole a candelabra worth around £80,000.

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Damage

This caused substantial damage to both the cabinet and several items within it.

Following the theft, Wilsher fled the castle, escaping in the silver Ford Fiesta which was recorded on dashcam footage from an approaching car as it sped away through the one-way entry system of the castle’s car park.

The vehicle had been stolen on March 24 when a delivery driver briefly left it to make a delivery.

Unfortunately, he left the car running with the keys still in the ignition.

At some point after the theft of the car, Wilsher ended up in possession of it.

On April 9, the owner of Sole Mate, a shoe store located in Pontmorlais, Merthyr, contacted officers through a Live Chat service after seeing a media appeal on Facebook following the castle theft, which included an image of the suspect wearing a baseball cap and distinctive shoes.

The shop owner believed these shoes closely resembled a pair he had sold to a man just days earlier and provided a statement regarding this potential connection.

On the same day, officers found the stolen silver Ford Fiesta in the car park of Bryn Mair, Dowlais.

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Forensics

Following its recovery, the car underwent a forensic examination.

This analysis identified Tyson Wilsher as the suspect, with his fingerprints discovered within the vehicle.

Throughout the investigation, officers recovered various pieces of CCTV footage that showcased Wilsher’s movements in the Merthyr area from March 22 to April 8.

This video evidence captured him buying the shoes he wore during the theft and criminal damage at Cyfarthfa Castle, as well as clothing from an Aldi store.

Wilsher was sentenced on Tuesday (July 15) at Teeside Crown Court for theft, receiving stolen goods and criminal damage to property.

He was jailed for 2 years and 8 months for the Cyfarthfa Castle candelabra theft.

Seargent Watts said:"This was a brazen theft in broad daylight, that left a group of school children shocked and upset.

"Through the work of the investigation team, we were able to identify Tyson Wilsher and bring him to justice, Wilsher’s actions show he believed he was above the law and didn’t care about how his actions impacted the venue.

"I’m pleased to see the sentence determined by the courts."