Woodston burglar caught on camera

A thief who was caught on camera after committing crimes in Woodston, Peterborough, and arrested wearing stolen designer clothing has been jailed.

Lee Edwards, 38, was captured on CCTV trying handles of a garage in Campaign Avenue in the early hours of 29 February last year.

The following month, on 19 March, he forced his way through a boarded-up window of a house which was undergoing building work in Jubilee Street before helping himself to electrical items and tools inside.

CCTV footage caught him using an industrial wheelie bin to remove items including six smart TVs and three microwaves which were all still in their boxes, as well as various tools.

The victim spotted Edwards in Palmerston Road the following day and recognised him from the footage.

He confronted Edwards who admitted it was him in the footage and asked for the police not to be called. Edwards collected four of the stolen TVs and two of the microwaves from a nearby house and handed them back to the victim, but claimed a homeless person had the rest of the items.

A few days later, on 23 March, he was caught on camera again, this time in the garden of a home in Flamborough Close, trying the handle of a shed before leaving empty handed.

He was arrested on 26 March and found wearing designer clothing and a Tommy Hilfiger watch that was later discovered to have been stolen in a burglary in Rhine Avenue earlier that day.

Edwards, of no fixed address, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday (19 February) where he was sentenced to a year and nine months in prison after previously pleading guilty to burglary with intent to steal, two counts of attempted burglary with intent to steal and handling stolen goods.

Detective Constable Lisa Flatters, who investigated, said: “Burglary is such an invasive crime which can have a lasting impact on victims.

“Thanks to CCTV cameras at homes and businesses in the area, we were able to catch Edwards in the act and give him little choice but to admit the offences in court.”

Advice about how to best protect your home from thieves can be found on our dedicated home security information webpages.