Bungling thief hands himself in after reality check from his mum

SERIAL OFFENDER LEFT WEAPONS BEHIND AT SCENES OF HIS CRIMES

Jeffrey Smith A SERIAL thief who smashed his way into shops, pubs and a bingo hall – each time leaving his weapon of choice behind at the scene – has been jailed.

Bungling Jeffrey Smith, 38, of Plane Street in Hull, pleaded guilty to burgling five non-dwelling properties between July and November last year.

Smith first targeted the New Walton Club in Walton Street, Hull, on July 26 last year.

A hearing at Hull Crown Court heard Smith damaged three doors and a roller door during his attempt to break in, before unsuccessfully smashing up a fruit machine for money. He caused about £4,000 worth of damage to the doors and £5,000 worth of damage to the fruit machine. He left a broken shovel, which he had used to break in, at the scene.

A few weeks later, on August 14 last year, Smith broke into the Tesco Petrol Station in Southgate, Hornsea, by smashing a window with gardening equipment, which he left on the floor. He also left trails of his blood on the window he smashed.

He attempted to break into the tobacco cabinet and fled the scene with £300 in cash from a till.

The third burglary happened on August 25, at The Showcase Bingo Hall in Hessle Road, west Hull. Smith again attempted to break into a fruit machine.

When they arrived at the scene, police found a claw hammer that had been used to break in.

The hearing heard how on the night of October 20, to the early morning of October 21, Smith broke into the Fishing Republic shop

in Strickland Street, off Hessle Road, where he stole fishing equipment worth up to £649.

CCTV later captured him in the area and another claw hammer bearing his DNA had been left behind at the scene.

The fifth and final burglary happened at Tesco Express in Beverley Road, Hull, on November 1. Smith was spotted by a member of the public, The scene at the Tesco Express in Beverley Road wearing a balaclava smashing his way into the store.

Smith attempted to open the till drawer but fled the scene when the alarm sounded. He was seen riding away on the back of a motorcycle driven by someone else. However, he had left traces of his blood at the scene from when he smashed the window.

Defending, Harold Bloomfield said after a “long conversation with his mother about what he was doing with his life”, Smith handed himself into police.

Prosecuting, Stephen Welch said: “He has a long history of similar offences. He admitted voluntarily in his interviews he had a crack cocaine habit he spent around £100 a day on.

“He couldn’t remember the Tesco petrol station and Welton Club, and the Beverley Road Tesco but said if his DNA was found he must have been involved.”

Mr Smith also asked Recorder Taryn Turner to take into consideration an attempted burglary of a motorcycle on May 22 last year and an attempted burglary at a convenience store.

Sentencing Smith to two years and eight months for each charge to run concurrent to each other, Recorder Turner said: “You caused substantial damage to premises and items and you are in no position whatsoever to reimburse the owners who have lost out.”

Smith will spend up to half of the sentence locked up, and the remainder on licence.