Drug-taking brothers raided apartment block and filled 'swag bags' with other people's parcels... but left empty-handed

Two drug-taking brothers raided an apartment block and filled 'swag bags' with other people's parcels. Vance and Leroy Bailey admitted burglary after gaining access to the Farrier Building near Manchester city centre.

They intended to sell items on to fund their habit. But they were left empty-handed after a security guard confronted them.

The siblings filled bags with deliveries that had been left in the foyer at the apartment block. Manchester Crown Court heard the brothers, who regularly took Class A drugs, entered the courtyard via the main gate, on Lockside Lane, usually opened by residents' key fobs, at 2pm on September 21 last year.

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Once inside, Leroy grabbed the handle of the door and 'yanked' it with such force the magnetic locking system disconnected and allowed them to get inside. The pair filled up bags with other people's parcels.

Prosecuting, Amanda Johnson said: "Once inside, there are post boxes and parcels are left by delivery drivers. The area is covered by CCTV. Both opened their bags and put parcels inside as quickly as they could and then made a quick exit towards Lockside Lane."

The brothers were then seen on the CCTV by a security guard, who confronted the pair. "The bags were open and parcels were spilling out," Ms Johnson added. "They ignored [the security guard] and kept walking towards Oldfield Road."

Two maintenance workers then went to help the guard. Vance asked one of the men 'why he was bothered' because it 'wasn't his stuff'.

"They kept walking, but were then apprehended by a maintenance worker who grabbed the bags," Ms Johnson said. "Leroy stepped towards one of them in an aggressive manner. He pushed him away and