Burglars caught on CCTV video lounging on sofa and swigging from wine bottle
A pair of bungling burglars have been jailed after they were caught swigging wine and lounging on a sofa in a police sting.
Craig Law, 34, and Luke Smith, 22, were captured on CCTV breaking into the house, unaware it was a police trap.
Cops had rigged the property with hidden cameras - which caught the dozy duo scouring the property for valuables.
Law can be heard moaning “there’s nothing worth nicking” before marching into the kitchen and pinching a bottle of wine.
The dopey thief then plonks himself down on a sofa alongside Smith - only to discover the ‘wine’ is actually water.
After wiping his fingerprints from the bottle with his t-shirt, Law flings it away and a loud smash can be heard.
Both men then return to the door of the property in Dudley, West Midlands, and make their way back out.
Law, who lives on the same street, was caught within hours after local officers reviewed the CCTV and recognised him.
He was handed an eight-month sentence at Birmingham Crown Court this week after he pleaded guilty to robbery.
Smith, also of Dudley, received a ten-week suspended sentence after he handed himself in at a police station.
The pair were the latest thieves to be stung by Operation Challenge - a network of decoy homes and outbuildings rigged by cops to nab unsuspecting crooks.
Sergeant Matt Morgan, from Dudley CID, said they are determined to “relentlessly pursue” burglars.
“The pair were completely unaware that their every move was being filmed by the cameras that were dotted around the property,” he said.
“We are using more and more of these sites to catch unsuspecting thieves.
“Houses, sheds garages and outbuildings can be fitted with equipment which is portable and easy to install, meaning any property in a burglary hot spot area can be quickly converted to capture thieves.
“The cameras also work on infra-red meaning we can download clear images - even ones filmed at night.
“As police officers we see the negative impact crime can have on, not only people’s property but also their sense of safety and their quality of life.
“That is why we will relentlessly pursue burglars and ensure they are brought before the courts.”
Craig Law, 34, and Luke Smith, 22, were captured on CCTV breaking into the house, unaware it was a police trap.
Cops had rigged the property with hidden cameras - which caught the dozy duo scouring the property for valuables.
Law can be heard moaning “there’s nothing worth nicking” before marching into the kitchen and pinching a bottle of wine.
The dopey thief then plonks himself down on a sofa alongside Smith - only to discover the ‘wine’ is actually water.
After wiping his fingerprints from the bottle with his t-shirt, Law flings it away and a loud smash can be heard.
Both men then return to the door of the property in Dudley, West Midlands, and make their way back out.
Law, who lives on the same street, was caught within hours after local officers reviewed the CCTV and recognised him.
He was handed an eight-month sentence at Birmingham Crown Court this week after he pleaded guilty to robbery.
Smith, also of Dudley, received a ten-week suspended sentence after he handed himself in at a police station.
The pair were the latest thieves to be stung by Operation Challenge - a network of decoy homes and outbuildings rigged by cops to nab unsuspecting crooks.
Sergeant Matt Morgan, from Dudley CID, said they are determined to “relentlessly pursue” burglars.
“The pair were completely unaware that their every move was being filmed by the cameras that were dotted around the property,” he said.
“We are using more and more of these sites to catch unsuspecting thieves.
“Houses, sheds garages and outbuildings can be fitted with equipment which is portable and easy to install, meaning any property in a burglary hot spot area can be quickly converted to capture thieves.
“The cameras also work on infra-red meaning we can download clear images - even ones filmed at night.
“As police officers we see the negative impact crime can have on, not only people’s property but also their sense of safety and their quality of life.
“That is why we will relentlessly pursue burglars and ensure they are brought before the courts.”
No comments:
Post a Comment