Man jailed following attempted break-in

A man who claimed he was looking for somewhere to squat when he was caught trying to break into a home has been jailed.

Christopher Rees was attempting to break through the front door of a home in Devonshire Road, Cambridge, on the morning of 10 October when he was confronted by the homeowner.

Rees told the occupier that he was ‘looking for somewhere to squat’ and thought the home was empty.

The victim took pictures of Rees and sent them to police who were instantly able to identify him and arrested him later that day.

He was found in possession of keys, a lock pick, a dining knife and Section 6 notices he was planning to put up once inside the property.

At Peterborough Crown Court on Friday (16 January), Rees, 45, of no fixed address, was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty at trial of attempted burglary.

Detective Constable Zoe Bramley, who investigated, said: “Rees claimed he believed the property was empty and he was looking for somewhere to squat. With the help of the photos from the victim, we were able to identify Rees and arrest him. The sentence given reflects his previous history for similar offences and is also a result of him being on licence.”