What we know about 'burglary gone wrong' which saw teen, 19, shot dead

Police are investigating after a teenager was shot dead in what is believed to be a Derbyshire burglary gone wrong at a farm in Whaley Bridge.

Ellen Manning
Updated ·3 min read
A 19-year-old named locally as Marcus Smith was left with fatal gunshot wounds after what is believed to be a burglary gone wrong at a farm in the Peak District. (Facebook/SWNS)
A 19-year-old named locally as Marcus Smith was left with fatal gunshot wounds after what is believed to be a burglary gone wrong at a farm in the Peak District. (Facebook/SWNS)

A 19-year-old has died after being shot in a suspected burglary at a farm in the Peak District.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after the disturbance at the farm, which also saw a second teen left with a gunshot wound. Five arrests have been made in total.

Police said they were called to reports of a burglary at Mosley Hall Farm, near Whaley Bridge, at around 1.20am on Wednesday, where they found a man with fatal gunshot wounds at the scene.

He has since been named as 19-year-old Marcus Smith from Chapel-en-le-Frith. Smith's mother shared an image of the teen on Facebook.

Marcus Smith, 19, pictured in an image shared by his mother, has been named locally as the teenager shot in the 'burglary gone wrong'. (Facebook/Kerry Smith)
Marcus Smith, 19, pictured in an image shared by his mother, has been named locally as the teenager shot in the 'burglary gone wrong'. (Facebook/Kerry Smith)

After arriving at the farm, which is believed to house a dairy cow milking operation, officers found Smith with fatal gunshot wounds. Police confirmed the deceased was not the owner of the property.

Derbyshire Police said a second man, who is in his teens, was also found with a gunshot wound nearby in the same road. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital, where he remains. However, his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Police said on Wednesday he was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary.

The force's latest statement gave details of four further arrests:

Police have said they are keeping an open mind as to whether two incidents at the same property are linked. (SWNS)
Police have said they are keeping an open mind as to whether two incidents at the same property are linked. (SWNS)

  • A man is in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and remains in police custody. Officers have been granted further time to question him

  • A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary after the vehicle he was travelling in was stopped on the A6 on Wednesday afternoon. He remains in police custody

  • A man in his 30s was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary. He remains in police custody

  • A man who is in his late teens was arrested on Friday on suspicion of assisting an offender

The BBC reported a farmer, named locally as Robert Lomas, was the man being questioned on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after the incident.

Police forensics at Mosley Hall Farm, Whaley Bridge, after a man was arrested on suspicion of murder following a suspected break in at the farm. May 2, 2024. Release date – May 2, 2024. A farmer is today (Thurs) being quizzed by murder detectives after a suspected burglar was shot dead and a second injured during a break-in at a remote farm. The man was held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after police were called to reports of a burglary in Whaley Bridge, Derbs., at 1.20am on Wednesday. Police said they found a man with fatal gunshot wounds at the scene in Eccles Road in the Peak District town. A second man, who was found with a gunshot wound in the same road, was rushed to hospital and since arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary. A third suspect was arrested around two miles away by armed cops who swooped on a car on the A6 in nearby Chapel-en-le-Frith. Footage on social media appeared to armed officers pulling over a white BMW car near a set of traffic lights. A police cordon remains in place at two houses in Eccles Road and police say they will stay there for some time while investigations continue.
Forensic cordons are in place at the farm in Whaley Bridge in the Peak District. (SWNS)

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Police also confirmed they received reports of a burglary at the property the previous day (Tuesday, 30 April) at around 3.30pm, when officers attended.

We do not know the identity of any of the other people arrested.

Speculation has suggested that the incident was a burglary gone wrong, given that three people have been arrested on suspicion of burglary-related offences, and that police received reports of a burglary at the same property the previous day (Tuesday). However, the force has not confirmed this and said it is keeping an open mind as to whether the two incidents are linked.