Burglars who posed as pizza delivery men jailed

Two burglars from Rochdale and Kent who pretended to be delivering pizza before forcing their way into an address in Faversham have been jailed.

Gary Westcott, of Rochdale, and Matthew Poole, of Kent, stole cash and two mobile phones from the property.

Westcott, 40, denied the charge of burglary but Poole, 34, admitted the offence.

Westcott was found guilty and both were sentenced on Monday 16 March at Maidstone Crown Court.

The court heard how, at around 8.15pm on 15 September 2019, Westcott and Poole went to a property in Larksfield Road and knocked on the door. When the resident asked who it was, one of them replied ‘pizza delivery’. 

The victim opened the door to tell the delivery driver they had the wrong address.

 

 

With their faces covered Westcott and Poole forced their way into the house. One of the victims was held in the kitchen by Poole while the other was made to show Westcott where the cash was in the house.

On leaving the property, Poole threatened one of the victims not to contact the police.

Following an investigation, Westcott was recognised from the property’s doorbell camera and arrested on 27 September. His mobile phone showed a text conversation with Poole the day after the burglary in which they discussed alibis.

As a result, Poole was arrested on 30 September.

Westcott was sentenced to four and a half years’ imprisonment and Poole was sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment.

Detective Constable Dan Bister of the Chief Constable’s Crime Squad said: "This would have been a terrifying ordeal for the victims and one which Westcott continued to deny he had any part in.

"However, there was a great deal of evidence to the contrary and I am pleased we were able to secure a conviction and put them both behind bars."