‘Daring, but careless’ burglar is jailed for raid spree at rail station
ABURGLAR branded ‘daring, but careless’ by police has been locked up after he targeted the same railway station five times.
James Bird, 59, ‘forgot that the railway is a CCTV-rich environment’, said British Transport Police, who brought him to justice.
His crime spree over eight months caused thousands of pounds worth of damage at Stockport railway station.
Bird, of Durham House, Old Chapel Street, Edgeley, which is near the station, was arrested after his fourth break-in, carrying a torch and a chisel.
He has now been jailed for 21 months.
Det Con Melissa Birchall, who led the investigation, said Bird was ‘now contemplating his crime spree from a cell’.
“Bird’s crime spree became more daring, which made him increasingly careless,” she said.
“He clearly became reckless following his previous successful attempts to break onto property at the station and forgot that the railway is a CCTV-rich environment and he would eventually be caught.”
Bird pleaded guilty to four counts of burglary and one count of attempted burglary.
At Manchester Crown Court, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, BTP said.
Details have only just been published.
Bird also received a 12-week sentence, to run consecutively, for breaching a previous order, the force said in a statement.
Bird, the court heard, first struck in the early hours of October 14 last year, breaking into the platform offices and stealing thousands of pounds worth of equipment, BTP said.
Then, on February 26 this year, he was caught on CCTV causing damage to a ticket vending machine.
The force said Bird struck for a third time in the early hours of March 9, breaking into station offices. The raid caused damage to the tune of more than £6,000.
Then, shortly before 1am on May 9, while government restrictions on travel were in place due to the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, Bird broke into another office, spending almost 20 minutes inside.
BTP said: “He was captured on CCTV leaving with a large rucksack and identified by a British Transport Police officer. Damage to the office door cost Avanti West Coast, who manage the station, more than £380 to repair.”
At 2.45am on June 1, Bird and another were spotted on CCTV by security staff from an adjacent office.
The force added in a statement: “They appeared to be looking through windows and trying to open locked office doors.
“The member of staff reported a burglary in progress to police.
“When police arrived, Bird was located near the station and searched. Officers found he was carrying a torch and a chisel.
“Bird was subsequently arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary and going equipped to steal.”
Det Con Birchall added: “To any other thieves out there - be warned.
“It’s only a matter of time before you fall foul of the law.
“We will bring you before the courts just like Bird, who is now contemplating his crime spree from a cell.”