A judge threatened to force a trio to pay for the police helicopter after they sparked a late-night search.
The force's chopper was scrambled after three men were seen in a Colchester scrapyard on April 11.
A court heard Matthew Lower, 20, Sean Paulyn and Andrew Lincoln, both 19, were inside Autobreak, Haven Road, Colchester.
The trio had been for a drive and stopped at the yard "because it looked interesting", Colchester Magistrates' Court heard.
Paul Baker, mitigating, said: "They chanced their arm, saw the yard and wanted some parts for themselves.
"The next thing there was a police helicopter flying around and police running around the compound."
District judge David Cooper said the men were a "damned nuisance".
"How much did it cost to get the police helicopter out?" he asked. "I'd like to make them pay for it, but I can't."
Lincoln, of Abbots Cottages, Sturmer, Lower, of Lion Road, Glemsford, and Paulyn, of Castle Walk, Haverhill, admitted being in the scrapyard. They were given three-month curfews and tagged.
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