Thief tricked police officer into helping get into flat

A MAN with an “extensive” criminal record burgled a flat in Cardiff after tricking a police officer into helping him inside, a court heard.

Jason Burns, 29, who had been before the courts for 155 previous offences, burgled two flats in 24 hours, stealing items including a laptop, passport and cash.

Cardiff Crown Court heard he conned a police officer into helping him break into the flat on Newport Road, Cardiff, by telling them he was staying there with a friend.

Andrew Davies, prosecuting, said the officer had seen him in the early hours of January 10 “being a nuisance”.

Mr Davies said: “It was clear he was intoxicated.”

A police officer asked where he lived and the defendant told him he was staying with a friend. The court heard the occupier of that flat had left his property at 12.15pm the previous afternoon.

Mr Davies said: “He was away when the defendant and the police officer forced their way in.”

Burns told police he knew the resident, but police later discovered that was not true. Prosecutors said the defendant carried out a “messy search”, before stealing cash and a passport.

He was arrested later on January 10 and found to be in possession of cocaine, which he told police was plaster for building.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how he had burgled another flat in the same block hours earlier.

Mr Davies said the first victim had locked her flat before taking her son to school at about 9am on January 9.

She returned at about 3.30pm to find her laptop and charger had been stolen.

Mr Davies said: “She returned to find her front door ajar. The flat had been roughly searched and her clothes were strewn around the floor.”

Burns stated he had been in the second flat “innocently”.

Questioned about the first incident, he said he had seen two people coming out and had tried to stop them from stealing items from the flat.

The prosecutor said Burns had been before the courts for 155 offences and had nine previous convictions for burglary.

He added: “It is an extensive antecedent history that falls foul of the three strikes [for burglary].”

Speaking at Cardiff Crown Court, defence barrister David Singh accepted his client had an “unenviable” record.

Burns, of Bute Street, Cardiff, originally denied two counts of burglary and possessing cocaine.

He was due to stand trial, but changed his pleas the day before his trial was due to start.

Mr Singh told the court his client, who appeared via video link from HM Prison Oakwood, had battled addiction following the death of his parents.

Judge Eleri Rees jailed Burns for three years.