Thieves caught with £5,000 of designer glasses

A pair of thieves who were caught with £5,000 worth of stolen designer glasses have been jailed.

Anthony Ablett, 41, and Jonathan Carroll, 35, were arrested in Bridge Street, Peterborough city centre, on 8 November after police received a call about a suspected burglary at a nearby opticians.

The alarm at Henry Smith and Hamylton Opticians in Cumbergate was activated at about 5am, prompting CCTV operators to review the area.

They saw the front door to the store was smashed and identified two men – Ablett and Carroll – who they believed to be involved.

Response officers found the pair in Bridge Street and arrested them on suspicion of burglary. When being searched, officers found them in possession of 15 pairs of designer glasses worth £5,018.50.

Carroll, of Bridge Street, Chatteris, Fenland, was charged with being in possession of criminal property, while Ablett, of Sunnyview Terrace, Leeds, was charged with being in possession of criminal property and non-dwelling burglary.

After admitting the charges, they both appeared at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (Thursday) where they were each sentenced to a year and four months in prison.

PC Carl Repper, who investigated, said: “CCTV operators have once again proved vital in helping us detect a crime and put those responsible before the courts.

“Thanks to their quick actions, they identified Ablett and Carroll and guided officers to them which ultimately caught them red handed.”