It’s Christmas behind bars for an opportunistic and prolific burglar from Bedford, after he was sentenced to four and a half years in jail.
William Martin, 53, of Hurst Grove, Bedford, pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced on Monday (30 November) at Luton Crown Court.
The court heard that on 29 September, Martin entered a property in Foster Hill Road, Bedford, where he took a mobile phone, a bicycle and various items of jewellery.
Inbuilt GPS tracking information on the phone showed that it had been used in a number of places in Bedford, including Martin’s home address.
CCTV footage from pawn brokers was used by detectives to identify Martin after he visited the premises to try to sell the jewellery items.
He was sentenced to four years and six months for burglary, with three months each for three counts of fraud, to run concurrently.
Detective Constable Andy Boston, from Bedfordshire Police’s dedicated burglary team, said: “Martin is a prolific burglar and I’m glad he will spend time behind bars.
“I hope he will take the time to reflect on his actions, and that this sentence shows we will not tolerate this behaviour in Bedfordshire.
“Opportunist thieves will look for insecurities in a home in an attempt to gain access, especially in the run up to the Christmas period where it is likely people will have high value presents in their homes, so please remember to avoid leaving presents under your tree, and keep them out of sight.
“Whilst most people are working from home and staying indoors during this time, it is still important to double lock your doors. If you have a PVC-U and multipoint locking door, ensure you lift the handle and turn and remove the key, as this will ensure the door is locked at multiple points, making it more secure.
“If you are going out, then leave a light or radio on and make your house look lived in where possible.”
