Amateur detectives used an Apple AirTag to find a Wigan thief who was stealing historic coping stones
"The audacity of him to steal from the community for his own personal gain. That isn't what we stand for.”
A councillor has revealed how he turned detective to catch a Wigan thief who stole £7,000 worth of 300-year-old coping stones from an historic wall - using an Apple AirTag.
Around 30 stones went missing from an 18th Century wall along a half-mile-long stretch of road which connects the towns of Holmeswood and Rufford in West Lancashire.
When the police said they could not help, instead of tolerating the loss, Rufford and Holmeswood parish councillor Matt Smith, 43, alongside other locals, decided to take matters into his own hands.
The dad of two decided to place an Apple AirTag into one of the already loose stones in the hope it would be taken and lead them to the address of the perpetrator.
The small, coin-shaped tracking device is usually used to help keep track of personal items that can easily be lost, such as keys, bags and umbrellas,
But on this occasion it was thought it could be used to track the stone if it was removed from the wall - and the plan was a success.
Craig Barker, 41, of Tan House Drive, Winstanley, has now been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended for 22 months, after the stones were found in his backyard.
Mr Smith, from Holmeswood, said: "The audacity of him to steal from the community for his own personal gain. That isn't what we stand for.
"It would have been nice for him to have been imprisoned for the impact he has had on the community.
"But the fact that we managed to return the stones back to where they belong was the main aim."
The wall is thought to have been built around 1730 for the grade II-listed Rufford New Hall, which was converted into a hospital in the 1900s.
After the hospital closed in the 1980s, it was refurbished and split in half and has since been turned into luxury apartments.
The surrounding estate has since been subject to housing development.
Mr Smith, who runs a landscaping business called M Smith Gardens & Landscapes, said worried locals noticed the wall was first attacked and stones were taken in May 2025.
Over the coming months, two further raids would take place in June and October.
The councillor originally reached out to Lancashire Police, but they were unable to help as the area had no "CCTV coverage" or "forensic opportunities", a spokesperson said.
Mr Smith and other residents first decided to put up signs saying "smile, you are on camera" but he has told that it did not deter the criminal.
They also thought about installing their own CCTV cameras to monitor the area but said it would have been "too expensive".
After the third incident on October 4 last year, Mr Smith asked the wall owner, outdoor maintenance company Green Belt, if he could take a loose stone and attach an AirTag, to which they agreed.
He said: "We were hoping the stone would be taken and lead us to the exact address of the person taking them."
On the morning of October 25, 2025, Mr Smith said he woke up to find notifications on his mobile phone revealing the stones had been stolen overnight.
He then contacted the police with information on their whereabouts.
The South Rural Task Force from Lancashire Police attended the address in Wigan and found a "substantial amount" of coping stones from the wall, which were worth approximately £7,000.
Mr Smith claims dozens of others were also found from across the country, making the estimated total value of up to £40,000.
Four local farmers then came on the same day to his yard, picked up the stones and took them to the police headquarters.
Mr Smith said: "It was a great feeling to know we had found the man responsible for causing the community so much pain.
"The magnitude of his offending was massive, and I'm glad we stood up and didn't just tolerate it."
Barker was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of handling stolen good and two counts of theft.
He initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his pleas to all offences on May 19 this year.
As well as the suspended prison sentence, he has now been given a 22-month probation requirement and fined £587 for court costs during his sentencing at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court.
Mr Smith said it was "very satisfying" that Mr Barker was "brought to justice" and the community's effort was "worth it".
He reinstalled the stones alongside Anthony James Construction in December last year, which he said was a "great Christmas present for the villages".
PC Sean Dalby, of the South Rural Task Force, said: "This type of crime has a significant impact on rural communities, both financially and emotionally.
"This case highlights the strong relationships we have developed with our communities and demonstrates the effectiveness of working together to tackle rural and heritage crime.
"I would like to thank the local residents for their support throughout the investigation, as well as those who gave their time to rebuild the wall free of charge."
Mark Harrison, head of heritage crime at Historic England, said: “The successful return of these historic coping stones demonstrates the important contribution that local communities and the police can make to safeguard our heritage.
"Traditional stone walls are an intrinsic part of the Lancashire landscape and their protection helps to maintain its distinctive character for future generations.”