Rochdale man sentenced for over 200 sneak burglaries

Sentenced for over 200 burglaries in Rochdale: Stephen Smith

A 46-year-old man who admitted being responsible for over 200 sneak in burglaries in Rochdale has today, Tuesday 28 August 2007, been sentenced to six years and two months in prison at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Stephen Smith, born 16/09/60, of Cloverhall Crescent, Belfield, has committed a total of 201 burglaries over about a six-month period.

Officers only realised the extent of Smith's crimes after he was arrested on suspicion of a burglary on Heights Lane, on Wednesday 27 June 2007, and he replied: "Which one? Where?"

On Thursday 28 June 2007, Smith was charged over the Heights Lane burglary and was remanded in custody.

Over the next five days he admitted to a further 162 offences and since then has pleaded guilty to a total of 201.

Most of the victims were elderly with the burglaries committed across Littleborough, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale.

At about 11.30am on Tuesday 26 June 2007, Smith went into an address on Heights Lane, Rochdale, through an insecure conservatory door and stole a laptop computer.

The owner of the house had CCTV covering his address, which was viewed by police on Wednesday 27 June 2007.

Later that day the officer that watched the CCTV saw Smith and positively identified him as the offender from the footage and arrested him.

Smith's crimes were mainly committed between May and July 2006 and April and June 2007.

PC Russ Clarke from the Volume Crime Unit said: "Smith is responsible for an unbelievable amount of crime across Rochdale.

"He was released from prison in April and between then and his arrest there was almost a 67 percent increase in burglaries across the Rochdale division. I am confident that we have now got the person mainly responsible for this increase.

"Some of these crimes were not even reported to the police and it was not until Smith admitted to them and we went to see the victims that they realised they had been broken into. In a lot of cases close friends or relatives had been suspected when items had gone missing causing a lot of mistrust amongst family members.

"Smith preyed on the vulnerability of his victims and I would urge people to make sure their homes are always secure, even when they are home. These are opportunist crimes that can be prevented by taking simple steps like ensuring doors and windows are locked."