A man linked to a half dozen break-ins at banks and gas stations using trucks and excavators has been sentenced to two years in jail.

But with time already served, he should be out in a few months.

Thirty-year-old Josh Weir was sentenced today for his part in ripping an ATM from the credit union in Witless Bay two years ago.

But since 2022, he’s been either charged or convicted, with others, of wreaking the same kind of havoc on banks and businesses from Pasadena to Holyrood.

They’ve been referred to as the backhoe bandits for their choice of vehicle to pull off the robberies, pocketing $140,000 from the Witless Bay heist, until they were caught.

As a member of the Weir’s Construction family, Josh Weir was no stranger to such heavy equipment, putting that experience to bad use, and blaming addictions, his mental health and the sudden loss of his father for his crimes.

And while Judge Lori Marshall had some sympathy for that, she said the recent spike in such shocking incidents “cries out” for a significant sentence, noting the impact on the businesses and their staff.

However, she accepted a joint submission for a two-year sentence, and gave Weir credit for double the time he’s already spent at HMP, due to the deplorable conditions down there.

That leaves him with four-and-a-half months left to serve, at HMP.