Teens admit to stealing £30,000 worth of chewing gum from a truck at a motorway service station

Ellis Benecke, 19, and Keon Sanderson, 18, both admitted to cutting a hole in the side of a truck at a Gloucester motorway service station to steal chewing gum while the driver was sleeping last month

Two teenagers have admitted stealing £30,000 worth of chewing gum from a truck parked at a petrol station while the driver was asleep.

Ellis Benecke, 19, and Keon Sanderson, 18, broke into a truck at Gloucester Services last month.

The pair cut open the side of the truck and stole the packs of Wrigley’s chewing gum after the vehicle stopped at M5 Services.

The West Yorkshire teenagers also pleaded guilty to cannabis possession when they appeared at Cirencester Courthouse on Tuesday.

Benecke, from Leeds, and Sanderson, from Birstall, Batley, were chased by police before abandoning their vehicle on the A40 Golden Valley bypass.

Both have been released on bail and are due to be sentenced on July 19.

Gloucester Crown Court was told in May the duo punched a hole in the side of the lorry and unloaded the pallets into their own car.

They stole the goods as the unsuspecting driver was resting at the services.

Prosecutor Nicola Wood said: “Both defendants are of relatively good character.

“Sanderson has no prior criminal convictions and Benecke has only one conviction related to driving.”

Most of the chewing gum has been seized, Gloucestershire Police have confirmed.

A statement from the force at the time said: “The incident began just after 3am on May 4 when police received a report of a man at Gloucester Services removing objects from a truck.

“The vehicle began traveling north on the M5 before being located by officers as it approached Junction 11 where it did not stop for police.

“Other specialist officers joined the pursuit and followed the suspicious vehicle as it left the motorway at junction 11.

“The truck then went the wrong way around the roundabout and entered the wrong side of the road onto the A40 Golden Valley.

“The vehicle was stopped in the street and the occupants attempted to flee from police on foot before being found by police dog Tekla and her handler.”