St Leonards Burglar Convicted

A man who took a taxi to a house he intended to burgle has been convicted after being identified on CCTV.

The owner of the house in Fern Road called police after she returned home on Thursday, April 28th and discovered some of her possessions missing.

Two watches, coins worth around £1,000, cigarettes and a small jewellery box containing a wedding ring and bracelets had been taken. 

On viewing CCTV nearby, police saw the man exiting the taxi and breaking into the house.

The taxi company helped officers identify Matthew Labbett as a suspect. He was arrested and found in possession of a large quantity of coins, cigarettes and clothing that matched that of the man seen on CCTV.

Labbett, 39, unemployed and no fixed address, was charged with burglary dwelling and theft. He appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court on Saturday (April 30th) where he pleaded guilty to the charge. He has been remanded in custody for sentencing on May 27.

Inspector Mark Botley said:

"Thanks to a quick response and good local knowledge, officers were able to secure crucial evidence and not only identify a suspect, but also make an arrest within hours of first receiving the report.

"Burglary is a devastating crime. It can result in the loss of property and money, but also the feeling of safety that everybody should have in their own home.

"We will continue to respond and investigate reports of burglary, and we encourage people to get in touch with us as soon as they become aware of a crime taking place."

Reports can be made online or by calling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.