Yelling burglar left evidence trail

A burglar who broke into three Yelling properties stealing items worth thousands of pounds has been sentenced.

On 1 August last year (2023), Nelson Smith raided the homes in Toseland Road and High Street making off with jewellery and other goods worth more than £48,000.

Smith parked on the drive of the Toseland Road property and was captured on CCTV using a hammer to smash the rear patio doors. He was seen walking to and from the house with a child’s scooter, clothing and pillowcases full of other items.

Forensics were able to recover his DNA from the scene.

Meanwhile, at one of the High Street properties he left a footprint mark at the scene.

Officers began searching for the vehicle he was driving, which was reported stolen in Luton in May 2023, and found it parked at a St Neots garage. Smith was spotted inside paying for fuel and following a short foot chase, was arrested.

The 47-year-old was wearing the same shoes seen on the CCTV and they matched the footprint found.

At Cambridge Crown Court on 21 October, Smith, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of burglary and one count of handling stolen goods.

Detective Sergeant James Rabbett, from the Acquisitive Crime Tea, said: “Smith broke into the homes of three families and stole items with much sentimental value.

“Burglary is not a victimless crime, it’s an invasion of someone’s home and possession and can have a lasting impact on their well-being.

“Fortunately in this case, there were a number of forensic opportunities and we were able to quickly gather evidence and arrest Smith.”