Bakery bandit who stole from cake maker's honesty box stall without paying a penny is fined £333

By JOSHUA HAINING, NEWS REPORTER Published: 17:25, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 17:25, 20 July 2026 A bakery bandit has been found guilty of theft after a hidden camera caught him stealing half a home baker's stock from her honesty box shed without paying a penny. Blake Young from Spignall, Peterborough, appeared at Boston Magistrate's Court via video link from his car as he pleaded guilty and was fined £333. The 18-year-old was captured emptying out 25 baked goods worth £80 from the Treat Street Bake Shed in Spalding, Lincolnshire, on May 9. Little did he know that a camera installed by cake shed owner Sabina Seidel recorded Young filling a plastic carrier bag full of treats and walking away. Prosecuting, Tosin Abioye said: 'Mr Young attended and removed items of cake from the shed, filled his bag and left the location without paying. She said that Young was 'identified by ring doorbell footage' before he was interviewed by police on May 26. Ms Abioye then read out part of the interview transcript where Young said: 'I'm not going to say it wasn't me. I've been homeless and struggling with my mental health. 'Being an honesty box, I didn't expect it to go too far.' Blake Young was found guilty of theft after a hidden camera caught him stealing half a home baker's stock from her honesty box shed without paying  Young was captured emptying out 25 baked goods worth £80 from the Treat Street Bake Shed in Spalding, Lincolnshire  She added that Young stole from the shed because it was his cousin's birthday and that he wanted to get him something as a present. 'There was some degree of planning simply because he said he was taking them for a birthday party and that he took quite a number,' she said. Addressing the court from his car, Young said: 'It was my cousin's birthday party the next day and I was passing by and I just thought instead of letting him down, I would go there and try and arrange to pay back at a later date. 'I would like to say I am very sorry to the lady of the cake shed and I'm more than happy to make things up.' When asked about his current living arrangements, Young said that he has been 'homeless for the last two months' and has not been looking for work due to his health. Presiding Justice Jennifer Frere-Cook said: 'We're going to deal with this by way of financial penalty. Because there's a breach of trust with his lady. The fine is going to be £120.' Young was also ordered to pay compensation worth £80 to Ms Seidel, prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £48. He was fined a total of £333. Young was initially charged with theft after he stole a variety of baked goods from Ms Seidel's honesty box located outside her front door. Young appeared at Boston Magistrate's Court via video link from his car as he pleaded guilty and was fined £333  Owner Sabina Seidel (pictured) initially thought Young was a supportive customer but the footage showed the moment she realised she had half her stock stolen After the theft, the community came out in support of her business with the rest of her goods selling out on the same day He began the heist by opening up the cake shed door using his red t-shirt to cover his chin in an apparent attempt to hide his identity. The bakery bandit then calmly filled a plastic carrier bag with the home-made treats as he licked his lips, afterwards trying to open the cash box inside the stall before walking off. After seeing Young taking baked goods on the Ring doorbell camera inside the shed, Ms Seidel went out to thank who she thought was another supportive customer. As he slowly walked away with the bag of goodies, she thanked Young to which he replied, 'you're welcome.' But as she turned to take stock inside the honesty box, the penny dropped and Ms Seidel realised she was the victim of the bakery bandit. 'I'd assumed he paid by cash and I checked the cash box and he hadn't put money in there,' she previously told the Daily Mail. The 39-year-old started the cake shed in March this year as a way of bringing her dream of owning a bakery to life. She bakes an assortment of home-made treats and fills the shed outside her front door, relying on the honesty of customers to pay by cash box or online. After her customers caught wind of the theft, the rest of her stock quickly sold out, and one customer even offered her money which she politely declined. She said: 'People have been so supportive, there are repeat customers and customers that come at the same time every single week. 'Somebody came yesterday after they heard what happened to put money towards what happened, but I didn't take it.' Despite the fact Young stole half of her stock, Sabina said her only response to the theft was to bake even more than before. She spent her evening baking and re-stocked the shed the following morning. Young was originally summoned to court for theft on June 22 but he did not attend. Prosecuting on the day, Lottie Tyler said the reason he did not appear in person was because he 'did not have the funds to get to court.' Arrangements were made for him to join via video link and although he was waiting on a call for much of the day, when his case was ready, he did not join.