Jail time for theft from UK ivory stockpiles

Author(s)

Kevin Heath, Wildlife News

Date Published
A theft who broke into a zoo and stole an elephant tusk that had been loaned out by the UK Border Force has been jailed for 120 days by Folkestone Magistrates Court. Craig Deane broke into Wingham Wildlife Park on September 9th 2013 and stole the elephant tusk worth about £2,500.

Craig Deane, 39, admitted to the theft when he appeared in front of magistrates and was sentenced to 120 days prison. The tusk has not been recovered. He appeared before magistrates on 2nd April 2014.

The tusk was part of the UK’s seized ivory stockpile and had been loaned out the Wingham Widlife Park as an educational exhibit at their museum. 

Deane though will not spend any extra time in prison as his sentence for stealing the tusk will run alongside a prison sentence of 35 months that he was already serving for breaking into a house.