Burglar lived high life after flat break-in

A BURGLAR secretly moved into the basement of a £2million London property where he set up a Freeview TV box and polished silverware “like it was his own home”.

Judge Joanna Korner openly laughed at the antics of construction worker Peter Behun, 44, when he appeared in court.

He was accused of living in the basement of a house in St John’s Wood while renovation work was being carried out, despite the family continuing to live on the floors above.

Prosecuting, Gregor Mckinley, said: “Mr Behun had been found downstairs. He had been there a while and had filled two bags with silver and had jewellery on him.”

Judge Korner, reading ahead in the case notes, interrupted him saying: “Oh, he set up a Freeview box for the TV, I hadn’t realised. He polished the silverware? Just reading this, it’s like it’s his own home.”

Mr Mckinley replied: “Yes, he broke in and set up a Freeview box at ground level so it could not be detected. He ate from tins and drank a lot of alcohol − rum, whiskey, champagne − and then used the bottles to pee in.

“He didn’t use the loo he just used the used bottles to avoid detection.”

Talking about the polishing, Mr Mckinley added: “Well, he was going to take the silverware.”

Behun, of the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, admitted

‘Oh, he set up a Freeview box for the TV …. He polished the silverware?’

burglary and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment suspended for two years at Southwark Crown Court.

He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 in costs.

Judge Korner said: “Mr Behun you broke into someone’s home. It may well be you didn’t realise it was occupied but once you got in it must have been plain as a pikestaff to you with all the belongings − alcohol, silver − that this was an occupied flat.”