SMILE FOR THE CAMERA!
MOMENT A BURGLAR REALISED IT WAS ALL OVER
CCTV footage captures the moment this burglar realised his cover was blown.
Sean Thorburn, 42, of no fixed address, can be seen hurriedly trying to cover his face after spotting a security camera as he carried stolen items under his arm.
He was burgling a home in Middleton Close, Nuthall, shortly after midday on March 19 when he realised he had been caught redhanded.
After ringing the doorbell to check if anyone was at home, he smashed his way through a rear patio door.
Once inside he stole watches, jewellery, cash and electronic devices worth tens of thousands of pounds.
But it was all recorded on a home CCTV network – first on a doorbell camera and then on a camera in the kitchen.
By the time he noticed he was being recorded it was too late.
Even so, he tried to cover his face and to pull the camera off the wall.
He then fled as an alarm sounded. His image was immediately passed to police and he was soon recog- nised and arrested.
When police interviewed him, he admitted breaking into the property
The very clear pictures enabled us to identify the perpetrator very quickly
DC Rebecca Butler
and stealing electronic devices, but denied talking any of the jewellery.
At Nottingham Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to burglary and was jailed for three years and four months.
Detective Constable Rebecca Butler said: “Finding that your home has been broken into is one of the most upsetting experiences anyone can suffer which is why we take it so seriously as a force.
“Thorburn was utterly brazen as he first scouted the property and then returned some 20 minutes later to smash his way in – causing hundreds of pounds of damage in the process.
“Unfortunately for him is activities were caught very clearly on camera – despite his last-minute attempt to conceal his identity.
“Having an effective CCTV network can be a very effective deterrent to burglars. Sadly that was not the case on this occasion but the very clear pictures we received enabled us to identify the perpetrator very quickly and ensure he was properly punished for this offence.”