Burglar caught trying to sell stolen property

A man has been convicted of burglary a third time after being caught trying to sell stolen property.

Sebastian Hart, 46, got into a house in College Park, off Eastfield Road, in Peterborough, through an open kitchen window at about 8.20am on 2 September last year.

The victims were out at the time with Hart stealing a number of electronic items, computer games and a purse containing bank cards.

Pictured: Sebastian Hart, 46

Hart tried to use one of the stolen bank cards shortly after at a filling station shop in Eastfield Road, but the transaction failed.

He was arrested on 5 September at the CeX shop in Long Causeway, Peterborough, after being caught trying to sell some of the stolen property.

Some stolen air pods taken in the burglary were tracking in the vicinity of CeX so officers went to the city centre and arrested Hart, who was also found with a stolen Bluetooth speaker. 

He was caught on CCTV from a neighbouring house walking towards the victim’s property about 30 minutes before using the stolen bank card at the filling station shop.

On Wednesday (3 June), at Cambridge Crown Court, Hart, of no fixed address, was jailed for three years and ten weeks, having pleaded guilty to fraud and being found guilty of burglary after a trial.  

DC Lisa Flatters, who investigated, said: “This was the third time Hart has been convicted of burglary, so he’s had ample time to learn the error of his ways.

“Burglary is a violation of people’s homes and Hart’s repeat offending is reflected in the length of the sentence handed down by the judge.”

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