A TEMPORARILY homeless man became the scourge of town centre traders, carrying out a shop-plundering spree in a series of unsophisticated break-ins.

Daniel James Place used metal drain covers to smash windows of premises in Bishop Auckland town centre, before grabbing whatever booty he could take.

But, Durham Crown Court heard that each time he left some form of evidence enabling investigators to link the crime to him, forensically.

Jane Waugh, prosecuting, said Place was on bail at the time, in late May and early June, having been arrested by police on suspicion of involvement in the supply of heroin, in April.

Durham Crown Court heard that he was seen dropping a package, found to contain 67.4g of heroin, from the front passenger window of a Volkswagen Golf stopped by police on the A689, near Sedgefield, on April 10.

While on bail Place committed a series of smash and grab raids of shops in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, throwing drain grates through windows, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, before taking items.

Miss Waugh said clothing was taken from Greenwood’s gents outfitters, a microwave oven and numerous items of women’s clothing in two raids at Beales department store.

But, an attempted break-in, via the rear of the Healthier Smoking Store, proved fruitless, albeit leaving £768 worth of damage.

Miss Waugh said Place and an accomplice were seen leaving Beales, dropping some items of stolen clothing as they went, as an overnight key-holder arrived to check the premises.

Footwear prints were left by Place in two of the premises, plus a blood stain and finger print in the other two break-ins led police to arrest Place at his, by then, home address in Melrose Drive, St Helen Auckland, at 830am on June 12.

But, at a hearing last month, he admitted three counts of burglary, one of attempted burglary, plus possession of heroin with intent to supply.

Chris Baker, mitigating, said it was accepted that Place was acting as courier, relating to the drugs offence.

“The background to the burglaries was that he was, at that time, homeless and desperate.

“There may have been an element of targeting, but, it has to be said, they were not the most subtle of crimes, and he just grabbed what he could.”

Jailing him for a total of 28 months, Judge Peter Benson told Place that by their very nature, the break-ins had a great impact on the businesses targeted in Newgate Street, in terms of damage, property taken and loss of trade during the subsequent clean-up.

Place was also landed with a £900 criminal courts’ charge, to be paid within two years.