A convicted burglar has been given a job by one of this victims.
Events boss Charles Moyle said the raid on his firm, Grass Roots Live, based in Worcester, had a “massive impact” on the company and its staff.
But he said when he given the chance to meet the man who burgled his business he wanted to give him a chance to turn his life around.
“The burglary had a massive impact,” said Charles.
“When I was contacted by the police, I said I’d like to meet him and when I did he was an interesting guy: very intelligent, very contrite and he had responded well to the structure prison had given him.”
Charles and the burglar, who targeted his new boss in 2006, met under West Mercia Police’s restorative justice scheme.
Offenders come face to face with their victims to showing them the impact of their crimes.
But when Charles met his burglar, who has not been named, he decided to step in and help and offered him a job when the thief is released from prison.
“When I asked him ‘what happens when you come out of prison?’ he had no plans and I thought I should do something to help, so I offered him some work.
“The private sector has to do its bit.
“I want to make this a call to action to other local businesses to take these young men and women who want to aspire to do something better and give them a chance.”
Taking up Charles’ offer of work, the burglar has since written to his new boss to say thanks.
He wrote: “I know I have got to earn your trust and I know there will be a lot of people who think you are mad for taking a risk on me, but I will prove them wrong.
“I just want to get out and work hard and do my family proud. I do not want to waste my life going in and out of jail.
“Again, I would like to say sorry that I stole from you; obviously there’s a lot of stuff in my past that I regret doing and if I could go back and change it I would, but all I can do know is change my future.”
