Bungling burglar returned to ask for cigarette
A BUNGLING burglar returned to his victim’s house minutes later to ask for a cigarette.
Anthony Russell had been caught in the act of raiding the home of his victim - who knew him - prompting him to run away.
But then the 35-year-old came back to the property minutes later to ask his stunned victim for a cigarette.
A court heard Russell was caught red-handed in the house in Fountain Street, Ferndale, Rhondda, when his victim returned home at night and the pair came face to face in the living room.
After he ran off Russell had the audacity to knock on his victim’s door minutes later as though nothing happened, to ask for a cigarette and to check if everything was okay, before running off again when challenged. He was arrested four days later. A search of Russell’s home address led officers to the stolen goods, which included a phone, an Xbox, and a laptop.
Russell also left his blood in one of the bedrooms which contained his DNA.
While he was waiting for that case to be dealt with hapless Russell targeted a house in River Street, Ystrad, on October 22 this year.
This time he was caught when his victim recognised him on a neighbour’s CCTV footage.
He was charged the following day after clothes recovered by police from his home address in Dyffryn Street, Ferndale, matched those he was wearing on camera.
He was jailed for 32 months at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to both offences.
After the case Detective Constable Stephen Woolley, of South Wales Police, said: “It’s fair to say that all the evidence pointed to Anthony Russell with this one. Maybe he’ll think twice about offending now that he will serve some time behind bars.”