‘Marigold burglar’ is jailed for crime spree
Wore rubber gloves while carrying out raids
ACRIMINAL dubbed ‘the Marigold Burglar’ for wearing washing up gloves has been jailed following a series of burglaries in Poynton and Disley.
Gary Clifton, 59, was sentenced to two years imprisonment at Chester Crown Court having admitted four counts of handling stolen property at a previous hearing.
As part of Operation China, police had been investigating a spate of burglaries in which cash, pottery and antiques had been stolen.
Patrols had been stepped up in the Poynton and Disley areas and officers were then called to reports of a suspicious man on Coppice Road in January
2023. Although the suspect fled, a bike he dumped at the scene had a water bottle and forensic tests found Clifton’s DNA.
He had an extensive history of offending and had previously gained his nickname following a series of high value burglaries in 2001 where he wore rubber gloves.
During subsequent investigations mobile phone checks placed him at the scene of many of the burglaries and showed several calls to an auction house in Stockport.
Financial checks also found several payments into Clifton’s account from the auction house for items stolen in 2016. A raid at Clifton’s home on Solvay Road, Manchester recovered further stolen items and he was charged in connection with incidents from 2016 and 202223
He had only been released from prison in 2021 after serving a previous sentence for another series of burglaries in Cheshire.
Detective Constable Rebecca Smith, of Macclesfield CID, said after the sentence: “Clifton is a career criminal who has shown no remorse for his actions, and I welcome the sentence.
“Following his latest release from prison in 2021, he presented himself as the model reformed character, attending all of his probation appointments, training to become a HGV driver and even getting a job.
“But in reality this was all an act and behind the scenes he was busy selling the items he had stolen in 2016, which he had kept in storage while he was serving his prison sentence.
“Not only that, but he was also continuing to commit other similar offences in Cheshire East.
“What is particularly heart wrenching in this case is that due to Clifton’s interest in high value pottery and antiques, many of his victims were elderly and are no longer here to take back the items he stole from them and see him finally being held accountable for his actions.”
“He has shown no remorse for his actions.”