A window cleaner stole computers and gardening equipment from a horticultural college to try pay back a loan shark who charged him an interest rate of 100 per cent.

Trevor White, 51, of Strongbow Road in Eltham, appeared at Bexley Magistrates' Court today, March 14, where it was explained what drove him to burgle Hadlow College.

White’s car had an electrical fault and when he couldn’t pay for repairs, he turned to a loan shark in desperation.

The original loan was for £400 but he was told to pay it back at a rate of £200 per month, up to £800 in total.

When he couldn’t pay the loan shark, the court was told his family was threatened so he turned to burglary to raise the funds.

On January 8, White entered the college in Shooter’s Hill, cutting a hole in the fence and breaking a window to enter the premises.

He stole between 12 to 15 computers, three projectors, two computer servers, and a number of pieces of electrical gardening equipment. In total White took items worth £5,000.

CCTV footage at the scene and DNA swabs on a shovel that was left behind were used to identify White.

White also burgled a veterinary college in Grove Park, also part of Hadlow College, on February 18, cutting a hole in the fence and breaking a window.

Student lockers had been broken open although it did not appear anything had been taken from them. £815 worth of equipment was stolen from the Grove Park college.

Police went to White’s address on February 22 where White initially denied any wrongdoing.

When the police found a leaf-blower and strimmer hidden under a bedsheet in his house, he claimed he had bought them at a car boot sale.

Most of the items White stole were never recovered, as he sold them on Gumtree for a fraction of their true value.

White pleaded guilty to the offences and has been committed to Woolwich Crown Court for sentencing on a date and time to be set.

A spokesperson from Gumtree said: “We do not tolerate the listing of stolen goods on our site, and are committed to educating people about how to avoid buying stolen items.

"A full list of banned items can be found on our website. If you have any doubts that the item you’re viewing is stolen, don’t buy it – you can use the ‘report an ad’ button on our website and our dedicated safety team will then examine it, and aid the police in their investigation.”