A THIEF has admitted causing thousands of pounds worth of damage by stripping lead from schools, a charity and a church.

Mark Hendron ripped the valuable metal from the roofs of eight institutions, leaving a combined repair bill estimated at more than £40,000.

The 25-year-old admitted one offence of theft and asked for nine others to be taken into consideration by Oxford magistrates yesterday.

The crime spree began on April 17 with the theft of about £1,000 of lead from The Institute in North Street, Marcham, which is owned by local charity the Arthur Anson Trust.

Over the next six weeks, Hendron struck at Carswell Primary School in Abingdon twice, causing about £20,000 of damage, and also made two visits to St Leonard’s Church in Sunningwell.

On his second visit to the church, on May 16, Hendron also helped himself to a crate of 10 pints of milk from the neighbouring Sunningwell School of Art.

Bob Evans, a warden at St Leonard’s Church, said the building’s interior, which has been now been damaged by rainwater due to the missing lead, previously had a £20,000 refurbishment.

Speaking after the court case he said: “We’ve lost a whole lot more than the lead is worth. The cost to the church is all the repair work and we’ve still got to decide what to put back on the church. “Then there’s all the labour and also repair work to the masonry as they knocked off some big bits of stone.”

Mr Evans, who said the church’s insurer would only pay out a maximum of £5,000 for lead theft in any one year, added: “What is clear is it will cost us a heck of a lot of money.”

Sarah McKay, prosecuting, told magistrates yesterday that Hendron, of Westfield, Harwell, near Didcot, was caught after he and another man were seen by a neighbour on the roof of Carswell Primary School in Bostock Road, Abingdon, at 2.45am on May 21.

She said: “Information was received and officers attended the defendant’s home and arrested him. They searched his vehicle and found a quantity of lead in the boot.

“He admitted it was himself and one other. That one other is currently on police bail.”

Mrs McKay said the estimated repair bill would be between £18,000 and £20,000 pounds.

Warwick Clarke, defending, said father-of-two Hendron turned to crime after his partner lost her benefits. He said he was encouraged by the second man and was “virtually employed” by him.

Presiding magistrate Nigel James said only the crown court could deal with Hendron, because the offences were so serious and the longest prison sentence magistrates could impose was six months.

Hendron was bailed to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on August 13.