A prolific burglar has been locked up after going on a crime spree to fund his drug addiction.
Kevin Brown targeted five homes in ten days and stole bank cards, jewellery, booze, televisions and an Xbox, before his criminal activities came to an end when he was eventually caught after leaving a trail of evidence.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 44-year-old used the stolen bank cards to buy cigarettes from different shops in Hartlepool.
Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said Brown had targeted one woman who he had known for a number of years for the second time in his criminal history.
She said Brown left his victim’s scared to return to their own homes and during one of the burglaries the defendant crept into the woman’s bedroom and pretended to be there to help her after discovering her door smashed through.
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Miss Atkinson said the burglaries took place in January this year when the defendant smashed his way into the houses but managed to leave traces of his blood and fingerprints at a number of the properties.
Brown stole an Xbox, medication and a bank card from a property on Wolviston Road on January 22 before using card to buy goods at the Best One Shop.
His second burglary took place on Oxford Road where he broke into the home of a woman he had known for several years. This time he stole two televisions and left the victim too scared to stay in her own home after Brown had targeted it twice.
Miss Atkinson said a third burglary took place on January 28 at a house on Braemar Road where he again stole a bank card before using it at three separate shops, spending more than £70.
Brown’s fourth burglary took place on Earlsferry Road the following day. Miss Atkinson said: “The woman was awoken by the presence of the defendant at the end of her bed – he said ‘hello and he thought ‘she was dead’.
“She was so scared that she started crying, asking him ‘who he was and what he was doing in her flat’.”
The court heard he claimed he was there to help her after finding her door ‘kicked off the hinges’ and she thought he was being genuine.
His final offence took place on Esk Grove on January 29 when Brown forced his way into the house through patio doors before stealing a jewellery box, £200 worth of booze and designer watch.
He then used a stolen band card to rack up £40 worth of spending in two shops.
Brown, formerly of Hartlepool but appeared in court via a video link from HMP Holme House, pleaded guilty to five counts of burglary and six counts of fraud.
Stephen Constantine, in mitigation, said his client was dealing with his drug addiction while on remand in prison and was finally starting to make some progress.
He added: “He recognises that you will impose a significant prison sentence.”
Recorder Paul Reid told Brown he had a ‘dreadful record’ before jailing him for a total of 40 months.
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