HANDYMAN STOLE RINGS THEN CHATTED TO HIS VICTIM:
£550 JEWELLERY NEVER RECOVERED
AHANDYMAN chatted to a customer for half an hour after he’d stolen rings from her bedroom.
Michael Reeves Jones then took the jewellery, valued at £550 but said to be of great sentimental value to Cynthia Owen, to a gold shop to sell.
A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court was told the rings have never been recovered.
Jones, 30, of High Street, Deiniolen, admitted burglary at an earlier hearing and was jailed for 16 months.
Judge Huw Rees said: “In any
view, this is a despicable offence. You took advantage of the situation in an entirely dishonest way. I regard you as a deeply dishonest man.
“You abused the trust placed in you by Cynthia Owen as a worker in her home and it is aggravated by your previous offences.”
Patrick Garland, prosecuting, said Jones had obtained the job as a handyman by giving his employer a false name and date of birth.
He had gone to Ms Owen’s home near Llangefni on Anglesey last September to carry out work.
He was found in the bedroom by Ms Owen having stolen the rings and her mobile phone and spoke with her.
“He was not permitted to be in the bedroom as it was not somewhere he was supposed to be working. He spoke with her for 30 minutes while he had the rings on his person,” he said.
Mr Gartland added one of the rings was a wedding ring she had had for more than 30 years and two others were of great sentimental value reminding her of family members who had passed away.
The court heard Jones had previous convictions for theft and burglary but these were not residential properties.
Defence counsel Elen Owen argued Jones had taken advantage of the situation and had not deliberately targeted the property.
“He did it on impulse. He understands it is a burglary and a serious one at that. He now fully understands the profound effect on the victim,” she said.
Suggesting Jones could be punished in a way other than custody Ms Owen said Jones had a good job as a ground worker and would be able to pay compensation to his victim.
“He wants a chance but perhaps that is asking too much,” she added.