A HAPLESS criminal smashed a digger through a fence in a plan to pay off his debts, a court heard.

Claudio Devito and two others took the digger from a builder's yard in Dacres Road, Forest Hill, at around 12.45am on March 7.

The trio were captured on CCTV trying to drive the ?30,000 digger from the yard and police were called.

After smashing straight through the yard fence, the vehicle was driven through the streets of Forest Hill towards Perry Vale, Catford.

The court heard Devito had taken the vehicle to help pay off his debts.