The Neanderthal burglar operating in a tech-savvy world
THIEF WITH 181 PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS IS CAUGHT ON CCTV FILM
A serial burglar thought he had got away with his latest break-in - but the “Neanderthal offender” was caught after his victim posted CCTV of him on Facebook.
Repeat offender Joseph Dunn was in and out of a woman’s home in 20 seconds, stealing her elderly mother’s purse while they were in the garden.
But the thief, who has 181 previous convictions, was caught on a security camera at the Whitley Bay home.
And when the homeowner put his image on social media to try to identify him, an eagle-eyed police officer recognised him.
Now the 44-year-old, who admitted carrying out what was the fifth home burglary on his long criminal record, has been jailed for 876 days at Newcastle Crown Court.
Judge Tim Gittins told him: “Much to your surprise, and it’s good to know it worked, CCTV from the security system captured your image in good quality.
“That was placed on social media and very swiftly it was identified by a police officer who knew you and you were arrested.
“Yet again, for the sake of a few pounds, you have left the householder and the whole family shaken by what you have done, dreading what could have happened and feeling discomforted that you have been in their house.
“It’s something that takes people a significant period of time to get over, if they ever properly do so.”
The court heard a 77-year-old woman was visiting her daughter’s home at The Crescent, Whitley Bay, on October 27 last year.
She put her bag in the dining room and began to help her daughter to paint a garden fence. Later that afternoon when she went to leave, she noticed her purse was no longer in her bag. It contained £60 or £80 in cash and bank cards. Prosecutor Neil Pallister said: “Her daughter checked the CCTV she has at her home and it showed the defendant at 2.37pm walking up the garden path, knocking on the door then entering the property. “Twenty seconds later he left the property and ran up the street. “The daughter placed his image on Facebook and asked if anyone recognised him. A police sergeant recognised him as the defendant.” The householder said in a victim impact statement: “It shocked myself and my whole family thinking somebody had walked in to my home in broad daylight and taken my elderly mother’s purse. “Mr son was also in the house.” Her mum added: “I dread to think what might have happened if my grandson or me had gone into the hallway or dining room when this man was in the house.” Dunn, of Marlow Lodge, Blyth, has been carrying out burglaries since 2002 and was jailed for 876 days in 2011 and 2014. Nick Cartmell, defending, said: “His best mitigation is his guilty plea. “He is a Neanderthal offender operating in a tech-savvy world. “It was opportunistic, not planned. “He wrote to the victim of this to apologise wholeheartedly for what he did.”
The daughter placed his image on Facebook... A police sergeant recognised him as the defendant