Burglar foiled by passer-by’s photo

A burglar was caught by police thanks to the quick-thinking actions of a passer-by.

Patrick Wall, 28, broke into a house in Clay Street, Histon, near Cambridge, at about 7pm on 21 September.

He smashed a window and searched a bedroom but as he was making off empty-handed a passer-by heard the house alarm and saw the intruder walking along the driveway.

He took photos of the burglar and then followed him along Winders Lane and called police.

Wall drove off in a silver Ford Focus while an unidentified man, seen by the car with Wall, walked off towards Cottenham Road.

Thanks to the passer-by noting down the Ford’s number plate, it was found in Harrow, London, two days later and seized.

A black jacket, similar to one Wall was wearing in the victim’s photos, was also found in the car.

Wall was arrested at a house in Molewood Close, Arbury, Cambridge, on 25 September.

It was discovered he had also broken into a house in Carisbrooke Road, Arbury, on 13 June, and had attempted to burgle a house in Copped Hall Drive, Camberley, Surrey, on 8 August.

On Wednesday (19 February), at Cambridge Crown Court, Wall, of no fixed address, was jailed for two years and four months, having been found guilty of burglary.

He also pleaded guilty to another count of burglary and one count of attempted burglary and received no separate penalty for these.

PC Andy Smith, from the acquisitive crime team, said: “I’d like to commend and thank the passer-by of the Histon burglary as his photo and the information he passed onto us played a big part in getting Wall convicted.

“It was also very brave of him to follow a potentially dangerous criminal who had just burgled a property.

“Burglary is a despicable crime that leaves people feeling incredibly vulnerable in their own homes so it’s great Wall is now behind bars.”

For burglary prevention advice, please visit the dedicated pages on the force website.