POLICE solved a two-year-old farm burglary at Surfleet when they cautioned a Boston man for a burglary and took his DNA.
The sample linked Marek Grzelak to a burglary at Coxon Farm, in Station Road, when a compressor was taken and diesel was siphoned from four tractors.
Grzelak (26), of Joy Paine Close, Boston, was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work as part of a year-long community ordered when he appeared at Spalding Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
He must also pay £300 compensation to the farm and £85 costs.
Presiding magistrate Jo Sunner told Grzelak: “If it wasn’t for the hard work of the police, you would never have been tracked down.”
Grzelak pleaded guilty to burglary and theft at the farm in November 2010.
Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting, said Grzelak’s DNA was found on a hose at the farm which had been used to siphon fuel.
Grzelak asked magistrates to take into consideration two further fuel thefts.
Solicitor David Lee, mitigating, said Grzelak had no previous convictions at the time of the farm burglary.