Lavatory stop ends jewel thieves’ 15-year spree

Two raiders were each jailed for six-and-a-half years at Cardiff Crown Court for a 15-year crime spree after following antique dealers hundreds of miles home from fairs held across Britain to steal more than £300,000 of jewellery.

Their crimes took place in 13 police force areas. But Alan Skavydis, 56, of Romford, east London, and Paul Stephenson, 58, of Dagenham, Essex, were caught after going to the lavatory outside one of their victims’ houses. Police solved the case by analysing the soiled lavatory paper left behind for DNA to trap the pair.