CRIME TIMELINE

Prosecutor James Ross told the court about the burglaries. In November 2016, Cole and his gang raided a house in Western Avenue in the town centre while an elderly couple slept.

Neighbours described seeing “a skinhead, together with others, carrying away a TV” from the home. He also took a wallet, a handbag, two watches and electrical items, worth a total of £470. By the time the police arrived, the couple still had not realised they had been burgled.

Then between Saturday, January 14, and Sunday, January 15, this year the gang broke into The Hair Shop in Hunter Road, Willesborough.

Mr Ross said that days later Cole showed up at the doorstep of a Ms Goldsmith, who knew the salon owners, and recognised some of the stolen products.

He said: “This lady bought some of these products from him and took a photograph on her mobile. She took the items, including the black box, to the salon where the owner’s key was able to open it, thus proving it was the stolen box.”

On Monday, January 30, Cole went to Romney House Family Dental Health Centre in Hythe Road and stole a laptop and dentures, and two more charity boxes for the Pilgrims Hospice.

A receptionist had arrived at work and could hear running water, as the gang had left the taps on to flood the property, causing up to £10,000 of damage.

The next burglary was on Friday, February 3, where Cole stole £800 worth of jewellery from a house in Ashburton Close, on the Foxglove housing estate.

Over the same weekend, the gang then raided the Pilgrims Hospice, stealing £1,870 worth of equipment including a widescreen TV, six towels, two cameras, foreign currency, and shopping vouchers.

Finally on Tuesday, March 7 he targeted the Willesborough Health Centre in Bentley Road, taking £900 worth of items, including two charity boxes from the chemist.