A MAN has been jailed for 20 months for a number of offences, including burglary and attempted burglary, which took place across Darlington in May and June this year.
During one burglary, Simon McPhee tried to break into a shed while the homeowners were away on holiday, but was unsuccessful. He also tried to damage a CCTV camera before making off.
He then returned to the same property four days later, smashed his way into the shed and stole a lawnmower. He then threw a rock through a rear window at the property and tried to get in, but ran away when the alarm sounded.
The 33-year-old was caught after members of the public saw him acting suspiciously in his vehicle and alerted police.
Durham Police connected McPhee to a number of offences and he was charged with three attempted burglaries, two burglaries, three theft from motor vehicles and a theft.
He pleaded guilty to the offences when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.
Detective Sergeant Grace Holohan, from Darlington Priority Crime Team, said: “I want to thank members of the public who alerted police to McPhee’s whereabouts, which led to a successful prosecution at court.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here