POLICE have taken to Twitter to blast the courts after a man arrested for stealing fuel and alcohol was fined less than £500.

Officers from the Operations Patrol Unit, which provides armed response vehicles for West Mercia Police, caught a man stealing fuel from HGVs at Hopwood Services in April this year.

Several other stolen items were also found inside his vehicle, including a bottle of champagne.

Posting the result on Twitter at the time they said the booze was "presumably for celebration of a nights criminal activities".

However, after the being sentenced police updated the post blasting the courts for the weak sentence.

Commenting on the social network site earlier this week they said: "Fine and court costs of less than £500 (despite being unemployed) and the forfeiture of the hose used to steal fuel. Very disappointing from the courts."