THIEVES crashed into two garden walls causing thousands of pounds of damage – after stealing just £30 of stone.

The two men stole the coping stones, which they piled up on the back seat of a car, from a dry stone wall at a farm in Burnley.

MORE TOP STORIES:

But they were spotted in the act and drove off.

Police then saw the car before it crashed in Padiham.

Retired builder David Birkhead, 72, said he was in bed when he heard a loud bang outside at around 10pm.

He said: “I was just in bed, the wife Barbara was watching telly downstairs.

“We heard such a big bang. I looked out of the bedroom window and I saw the car. I saw two men get out and they ran up a back street. They were wearing grey tracksuits.”

Mr Birkhead and other residents rushed out and saw a trail a destruction along Cemetery Road.

Part of his and his neighbour’s front gardens had been demolished and debris was scattered all over the pavement.

The wrecked MG’s car’s airbags had inflated but the occupants had run off. Several police cars, a dog unit and the police helicopter were used as part of the hunt.

A man was arrested following the incident on Friday.

Police said the stone was taken from Higher Micklehurst Farm.

Mr Birkhead said: “It’s done about five to six grand of damage on the front walls, maybe even more.

“I worked in the building trade. You’re talking £1,000 just for the wall and two or three days labour. God knows what my neighbour’s wall will cost.

“I bet the stone was only worth between £20 and £30.”

Insp Steve Bradshaw said: “A farmer in Burnley had been out checking his sheep with a torch and spotted these guys pinching the stones from his dry stone wall. They made off.

Officers have seen the vehicle which flashed past them but didn’t pursue as the risk was too high. The vehicle has been spotted in Padiham. It crashed and two males made off. One man was later detained.”