Man in court after £10k of possessions taken from Bilston home by bogus removal men
A man has appeared in court charged with theft after a couple had possessions worth £10,000 stolen from their home by bogus removal men.
Lee Green, of Wolverhampton Street, Bilston, is accused of stealing the items belonging to Rebekah Szenak on September 25 in Mount Pleasant, Bilston.
The 32-year-old appeared briefly at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court yesterday for a preliminary hearing.
He was granted conditional bail by a bench of three magistrates and will next appear before a judge at the city's crown court on February 15 for a plea hearing.
Chair of the bench Mrs Janet Bird, said: "You have heard what has been said Mr Green. This case will now go to Wolverhampton Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing in February next year."
Green, a gas worker with short dark hair, appeared in court wearing a long navy jacket. As he left the magistrate's court building in North Street he pulled a dark blue woollen hat down over his face.
Miss Szenk wanted her possessions moved from her flat in Mount Pleasant, Bilston, to the Horse & Jockey pub in Walsall Wood, which her partner Mark Higgins now runs.
Since the incident, the family has been inundated with offers of support from friends, family and well-wishers, with some donating furniture and clothing. The family received £3,000 in donated household items as well as more than £4,000 from online fundraising page GoFundMe, with contributions from nearly 150 people and local businesses. The fundraising page raised almost £1,000 in one day alone.
Green was arrested by officers from West Midlands Police on October 2.
Under the conditions of his bail, he must not attempt to contact Miss Szenak or Mr Higgins.
He was also told to stay away from the Horse & Jockey pub in Walsall Wood.
