‘Menace’ burglar is jailed for six years
A‘MENACE’ burglar who raided four homes stealing ‘sentimental’ jewellery worth thousands of pounds has been jailed for more than six years.
Robert Halliwell smashed his way into the properties in Rochdale and Bacup during a vodka and heroin-fuelled crime spree, a court heard.
In one break-in, at a home on Brookdale in Healey in October, he caused £16,000 worth of damage.
Halliwell, described in court as a ‘menace’, stole a large amount of jewellery belonging to the owner’s mother and grandmother.
In a victim statement the ‘absolutely disgusted’ owner said it took three days to clean the property and the incident has ‘left an everlasting stain on their lives’.
The next month Halliwell broke into another house on Borrowdale Drive in Marland and caused a ‘substantial’ amount of damage.
The bungling 43-yearold was caught after leaving his blood behind at the crime scenes.
Halliwell pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to four counts of burglary and one count of criminal damage and was jailed for six years and four months.
The court heard how Halliwell has 18 previous convictions for 35 offences including 15 house burglaries. He has been jailed on five previous occasions totalling more than 18 years.
Prosecutor Emma Kehoe said the first burglary happened on Hazel Grove in Bacup in August last year when the owners were away on holiday.
They returned to find Halliwell had smashed through a conservatory door using a crowbar and then ‘ransacked’ many of the rooms leaving items ‘strewn across the floor’.
Halliwell stole items from a large walk-in wardrobe and a large amount of ‘sentimental’ jewellery.
Ms Kehoe said Halliwell, of Edward Street, Bacup, was caught burgling a property on Oakenclough Road in Bacup on January 24 this year after the owner returned home with her son.
The court heard that the victim saw the defendant ‘crouched down looking through a unit’.
Ms Kehoe said: “On seeing her, he jumped up and ran towards the rear of her house shutting her bedroom door. She immediately called the police.
“She was terrified, not only for her safety but for her young son as well.”