Thief caught after using stolen debit card to buy pizza
27-year-old jailed for ‘opportunist’ burglary
Two dozy crooks were collared by police after they used a debit card stolen during a burglary to buy food at a high street pizza shop.
Timothy Smith, 27, of Westree Court, Maidstone, was sentenced to two years and ten months in prison after admitting breaking into a flat in Douglas Road in April, stealing and selling on his ill-gotten gains.
His accomplice, 38-year-old Joanne James, of the same address, admitted handling stolen goods and was given a twoyear conditional discharge.
Smith broke into the groundfloor flat where he stole various items including an iPad Mini, Xbox One, Xbox games, alcohol, and a handbag along with a purse and cash.
After the break-in, police officers investigating the circumstances behind the burglary discovered a debit card, stolen from one of the victims, was used in a pizza shop.
A PCSO visited the shop and viewed CCTV where they recognised James, who was in the shop with an unknown man. Further work was carried out which linked James to Smith and proved Smith was the man in the shop with James.
Smith and James were also found on CCTV in a second-hand electronic store where they were seen to sell some of the items stolen in the burglary.
Both Smith and James were arrested in April.
Det Con William Lait, the investigating officer, said: “This was an opportunist burglary through an insecure rear door which saw items of value stolen in order for Smith and James to make a small amount of cash, with no regard as to how they had made the victims feel.
“This was a great bit of work from one of the local PCSOs who used their local knowledge to help get the ball rolling and ultimately helped to identify both Smith and James. Anyone thinking of committing a similar crime must know we will not tolerate crime and will always thoroughly investigate to ensure justice is done.”