Safe robber is jailed after ‘old-fashioned’ raids

A “PROFESSIONAL” burglar has been jailed for breaking into a Derbyshire pub and using crowbars to remove three safes from behind the bar.

David Owens (pictured) and his accomplices took more than £1,500 from the Bubble Inn, in Stenson, in the early hours raid.

The gang forced their way in through a door before removing the safes. Owens, 42, who has 27 previous convictions for 57 offences, left his DNA on a torch at the pub.

Derby Crown Court was told how his DNA was also discovered at an earlier break-in at a holiday camp when he and his group sawed their way through the roof before raiding a cashpoint machine of almost £4,500.

Jailing him for two years, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: “You know what’s coming, you have been in this position plenty of times before. You have a horrendous record, particularly for burglary.

“There was more than one of you but only you have been caught because you left your DNA at both scenes. They were determined and planned burglaries and you clearly knew what you were after. I don’t wish to glamorise or glorify them but they are almost old-fashioned burglaries involving crowbars and safes.”

Sarah Allen, prosecuting, said the break-in at the Bubble Inn took place at 2.45am on August 17. She said CCTV showed three men approach the pub and force open a door.

Miss Allen said: “The group used crowbars to remove three safes that were behind the bar and they also stole a charity box and two bottle of whisky. “The empty safes were found in a hedge a few days later and this defendant’s DNA was found on a torch that was left at the scene.”

Miss Allen said the second burglary dates back to June 1 and happened at 2.45am at the Bolt House bar and restaurant at Regent Bay Holiday Park in Westgate, Morecambe, Lancashire. She said: “Those involved got in through the roof where tiles were removed before timber was sawn through to gain access. A cash machine was forced open and £4,470 was taken. Again, this defendant left his DNA on the cash machine.”

Owens, of Skipton Road, Anfield, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary.

William Bennett, mitigating, said his client was a fatherof-two who had “gone straight” following his last release from prison in 2016.

He said: “He came out of prison, got a job with his father doing gardening work and then, unexpectedly and sadly, his father died from a heart attack.

“The pressures of keeping the business going got too much for him, he spiralled out of control and began associating with people from his past. It was idiotic thinking.”