Burglar foiled by his own sweet tooth is jailed for bar break-in

A BURGLAR with a sweet tooth has been jailed after he left DNA on a spoon used to eat a stolen cheesecake.

Jason Stratford, 36, of no fixed address, had broken into a bar in Cirencester on Saturday, January 2.

He admitted breaking in and stealing several bottles of alcohol at about 1am.

He also helped himself to a cheesecake – which proved his undoing. The spoon he used to eat the cheesecake was dropped on the floor.

Stratford was caught on CCTV and was also identified by members of staff who later confronted him and recovered a set of keys from him which he had also stolen.

Gloucestershire Police officers then used the DNA from the discarded spoon to forensically link Stratford to the scene and to later charge him with the offence. His crimes that evening totalled £1,846 and he was sentenced to 18 weeks and to pay compensation of £1,825.

Stratford’s offending also activated a 16-week suspended sentence he had been given for a previous burglary in August last year which has led to him being jailed for a total of 34 weeks.

He appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced earlier this week.

Speaking on behalf of Investigating Officer PC Mike Lee, DC Nick Henry said: “Burglary is a callous crime, targeting a business that has already likely been damaged due to the pandemic.

“We wish to thank the staff members for their vigilance in assisting the investigation and bringing this offender to justice, ultimately taking him off of the streets of Cirencester.”