Sutton burglar jailed for 20 weeks

An opportunist burglar was jailed for 20 weeks after he admitted stealing from a youth hostel and attempting to break into a car.

Mark Smith of Stanton Crescent, Sutton appeared before Mansfield Magistrates on Wednesday after admitting breaking into Fritchley Court on July 15 and stealing a pair of two way radios.

He also pleaded guilty to attempting to break into a car parked outside Halfords on the same day.

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Smith, 34 pleaded not guilty to failing to provide a specimen of blood to the police following the offences.

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The court heard that Smith parked up outside Fritchley Court, a place used by young homeless people and climbed over a fence, entering the inner part.

CCTV showed him checking windows. He found a window ajar and climbed inside.

He was later seen coming out carrying a box, with a blanket over his head.

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Staff at the centre later discovered two sets of two-way radios were missing from an office.

Later that day outside Halfords in Mansfield, Smith was seen pulling up in a silver BMW car.

He took what looked like a screwdriver out and tried to force entry into another vehicle, but failed.

Smith was later arrested and police found the two-way radios in his car.

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When interviewed by police Smith had initially refused to be interviewed or make any comment about the crimes.

The court heard Smith had committed the offences while he was out on license following a previous custodial sentence for burglary of a non-dwelling.

Magistrates sentenced him to 12 weeks for the burglary and eight weeks for the vehicle crime, to run consecutively.