'Lego Man' jailed for robbing Leeds stores of popular building-block sets
An armed robber who was dubbed “Lego Man” by shop workers for his tendency to steal the building-block sets has been jailed.
Craig Pittaway mainly targeted B&M stores around Leeds and either pulled out a knife when challenged by security, or threatened to.
The 39-year-old admitted two counts of robbery, one of possession of a bladed article in public, 10 counts of theft and one of possession of cannabis.
He was jailed at Leeds Crown Court and also handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning him from entering a retail park.
Between July and September of last year, he walked into B&M outlets in Hunslet, Armley, Kirkstall and Colton, picking up boxes of Lego and walking out.
He also stole projectors and on one occasion, took £72 worth of alcohol from Morrisons in Kirkstall.
On that occasion, he pulled out a knife and waved it at a worker who challenged him as he tried to leave without paying.
He also told a worker at B&M in Colton that he had a knife when he was seen trying to steal two boxes of Lego.
Although he never produced a weapon, he picked up a till divider and threatened the worker, prosecutor Bashir Ahmed said.
During his spree, he stole £740 worth of items. When he was finally arrested he had a small amount of cannabis on him.
Pittaway, of Kingston Terrace, Woodhouse, appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
He has 135 offences on his record sheet, including thefts, robbery, burglary and possessing offensive weapons.
Mitigating, Timothy Jacobs said PIttaway had a heroin addiction for years, which he has managed to conquer, but continues to live in the grip of crack cocaine.
He said of the offences: “It was to fund that addiction. He never had any intention of harming anybody.”
Judge Richard Mansell KC told Pittaway: “You have got a depressing record, it hardly needs me to tell you that.
“Your target was to steal Lego - you must have had a market to sell it on to people.
“You became so familiar to staff at those stores you acquired the name ‘Lego Man’.
“You have gone beyond merely stealing from shops, you committed two robberies.”
He jailed Pittaway for six years. He also passed the five-year CBO, which bans him from Kirkstall Retail Park and all B&M shops in West Yorkshire.
The CBO allows Pittaway to be fast-tracked back to prison, should be breach the order.