Hapless burglar left simple trail to his capture
CRIMINAL CAUGHT ON CCTV AND LEFT PRINTS
THIS brazen burglar thought he would get away with his crime – but was caught after he left his footprint at the scene and was then spotted on camera with the stolen goods.
In November last year, Trevor Sewell ransacked a house on Byrewood Walk in Kenton, Newcastle, emptying drawers and cupboards before helping himself to a set of car keys with a distinctive key ring, a laptop and a Dyson cordless vacuum.
The intruder also stole the owner’s Vauxhall van, which had tools worth £1,000 left inside.
When the occupant woke up on November 24, he was shocked to find his patio doors and kitchen window wide open and a trail of his possessions strewn across the garden.
Police officers arrived and spotted a footprint on the kitchen window, which had been forced open, and quickly set about finding the culprit.
And it wasn’t long before an eagle-eyed officer recognised Sewell on CCTV because of his distinctive walk – and watched as he parked the missing van in a layby 300ft from his home.
The footage also showed the thief ef getting out of the vehicle and hiding something in the bushes before taking a vacuum cleaner from the back – while wearing a distinctive hi-viz vest.
Satisfied Sewell was their man, officers went to his home on Stanton Street and carried out a search where they recovered an illegal butterfly knife from his bed.
A search of the bushes also uncovered the missing keys with the identical keyring.
When the 44-year-old was arrested, he was wearing the same vest from the footage and a pair of Adidas trainers which forensics quickly identified as having the same footprint left at the scene.
Sewell was charged and later appeared in court where he pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, burglary, driving without insurance and otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
And on January 18, he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he was sentenced to 40 months behind bars.