Thief screws up double raid by leaving key clue
WHAT A COMPLETE TOOL!
A BLUNDERING burglar who left an incriminating screwdriver at the scene of his crime has been jailed.
Karl Hogg, 30, smashed his way into Houghton Comrades Club and Houghton Snooker Club in the early hours of December 2 last year.
The thief stole a safe and cash from a games machine, which were both left with substantial damage.
But after police found a screwdriver had been left behind at the Snooker Club, the net tightened on the brazen raider.
Police received a call shortly after 4am on December 2 after the alarm was triggered at Houghton Comrades Club.
Officers attended and found a safe – which was empty – had been stolen. A fire door and an internal door had both been damaged during the raid.
Less than three hours later, it was reported to police that the alarm at Houghton Snooker Club had been set off twice during the night.
Officers were told a fire door and an alarm panel had been damaged, while cash had been stolen from a games machine.
Officers spotted a discarded screwdriver on the floor of the snooker club, while a sample of blood was taken from the bar area of the Comrades Club.
Both items were sent away for analysis and were later matched to Hogg’s DNA.
Hogg, of Baker Street, Houghton,was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of burglary.
Despite refusing to answer the questions of police upon interview, he admitted both offences at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on January 31.
He was jailed for 18 weeks and ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation.
Detective Constable Alex Hadwin, of Northumbria Police, said: “These blatant actions left two of our local establishments with significant repair bills.
“His behaviour was totally unacceptable and he must now deal with the consequences.
“By committing these crimes, Hogg not only showed a complete disregard to people’s livelihoods and jobs, but also the local community as a whole. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and are committed to pursuing perpetrators who inflict misery on others for purely selfish gains.”
These blatant actions left two of our local establishments with significant repair bills
DET CON ALEX HADWIN