BURGLAR JAILED FOR CRIME SPREE FUELLED BY MONKEY DUST HABIT
Raids included 15 watches from jeweller
MONKEY dust user Kevin Eagles has been jailed after he carried out a series of crimes including a burglary of a town centre jeweller’s.
The 38-year-old was one of two men who broke into Kirkham’s Jewellers in Merrial Street, Newcastle, in the middle of the night.
His accomplice smashed the window with a bolt cutter and Eagles reached through the glass and stole 15 watches worth more than £4,000.
During his crime spree, he also burgled Sainsbury’s, in Newcastle; made off without payment from a petrol station; stole a car and some registration plates and handled stolen goods.
Now Eagles – who has 35 previous convictions for 112 offences – has been jailed for two years at Stoke-ontrent Crown Court.
Prosecutor Olivia Whitworth said he stole a Ford Focus which the owner had left unlocked with the keys in the ignition while he used a cash machine at the Co-op in Bradwell at 6.45pm on February 17.
It was later spotted by police and was abandoned at Brampton Sidings. Eagles was identified as the thief after police viewed CCTV from the Co-op.
Three days later, between 4.25am and 5am he and another burgled Kirkham’s Jewellers.
Miss Whitworth said: “The unknown man used bolt cutters to break the shutters and glass.
“The defendant cycled up to the window, put his hand through and took 15 watches worth £4,249.
“The damage to the window and meshing was £3,450. Police viewed CCTV and identified the defendant.”
Eagles struck again at 7.15am on March 13 when he forced open a door at Sainsbury’s, Newcastle, before trading hours.
He stole six Baileys gift sets and two stormtrooper gift sets worth £72. He was again identified from CCTV.
Eagles was found in possession of a stolen Vauxhall Corsa car key and stolen registration plates. He made off from the Esso garage at Holditch without paying for fuel on March 14.
And on March 18 he was found in possession of a car key to a Volkswagen Jetta stolen two days earlier when a driver was delivering a takeaway.
Eagles, of Grove Street, Knutton, pleaded guilty to two offences of burglary; two charges of handling stolen goods; making off without payment; and two charges of theft.
Paul Cliff, mitigating, said his client has had a problem with alcohol for many years but his life has been blighted by monkey dust in the last two years. He conceded that a custodial sentence was inevitable.
Mr Cliff said: “The thefts were sneaky, opportunistic, of modest value.” He added: “Being on remand has enabled him to get away from monkey dust.”
Recorder Julian Taylor said the most serious offence was the burglary at the jewellers. He added: “You have been addicted to alcohol and monkey dust. That is very prevalent in this city.
“It has to be an immediate custodial sentence. You need to get yourself sorted out and get as much assistance from the prison authorities as you can.”