UPDATE: A career criminal was apprehended fleeing a Furniture Village store in Stockton with a professional burglary toolkit. Paul Thomas, 54, and an accomplice stole four lamps just after midnight on May 20, but their escape was cut short by a vigilant police patrol.
The incident unfolded on Haverton Hill Road when officers spotted Thomas speeding recklessly from Portrack Lane. Prosecutor Jenny Haigh revealed that Thomas ran a red light, prompting police to activate their sirens. As he pulled into a layby, his passenger bolted from the vehicle, leaving Thomas to face the officers alone.
Initially arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, a search of Thomas’s car revealed the burglary tools and items stolen just minutes earlier. This evidence led to a guilty plea for burglary at Teesside Crown Court. Thomas, a resident of Kingfisher Drive in Guisborough, has an extensive criminal history, with multiple convictions dating back to the 1990s. He was previously sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiracy to burgle in 2008 and was convicted of drug dealing earlier this year.
During the sentencing, Judge Peter Makepeace emphasized the impact of such crimes on local businesses, stating, “When commercial premises suffer losses like that, the way they recover their costs is by increasing their prices. Members of the community pay more.” He handed Thomas a 10-month prison term suspended for two years, along with 200 hours of unpaid work, and mandated attendance at 26 days of an accredited program to address his offending behavior, as well as 25 rehabilitation sessions with probation services.
Judge Makepeace warned Thomas about the severity of his situation, saying, “Do not test me on this. If you do I will take pleasure in committing you to prison. This is a chance I’ve given you.”
This case highlights the persistent issue of burglary and its repercussions on community safety and local economies. Authorities are urging all residents to remain vigilant as they continue to combat such crimes.
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