A driver wore a ‘Jack Sparrow wig’ as a bet when he stole a container holding £650,000 worth of cosmetics from a Manchester depot.

Alan Edwards was wearing a wig like the one worn by the Pirates Of The Caribbean character when he took the container from the Freightliner depot.

Edwards, 48, arrived at the terminal on July 17, 2013, wearing the wig and driving a tractor unit which was later found to be using false number plates, British Transport Police said.

He handed documentation to staff, collected the container and left the terminal.

The container had been shipped to Manchester from the USA and a Wigan-based company was due to transport it to Rotherham.

When the real driver arrived, staff immediately reported the theft to police.

But Edwards had been captured on CCTV and was identified because he had previously been employed as a driver by a local transport company.

BTP officers searched Edwards’ home where they found the wig which Edwards claimed he had worn for a bet.

He admitted collecting the container as a favour for a friend in exchange for him carrying out some work on his Land Rover.

The £650,000 haul of make up, belonging to cosmetics giant Coty, was recovered almost in its entirety just over a week later.

Detective Constable Martin Melia, who led the investigation, said it was a well planned and executed theft of a container of high value cosmetics.

He said: “A degree of knowledge was required in respect of the working of the Freightliner Terminal and the documentation that would be needed to ensure the release of the container.

“Edwards attempted to hide his identity with the use of a wig and succeeded on the day. However once the investigation was underway British Transport Police were able to identify and arrest him, resulting in the recovery of the stolen cosmetics.”

Edwards, of High Bank Road, Droylsden, has avoided jail after admitting his part in the theft.

He pleaded guilty to theft including theft by finding and was handed a 12 month prison sentence suspended for 18 months at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday.

Carl Eric Hutchinson, 60, from Denton, is due to appear at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday February 8 in relation to this incident.