Sandwell burglar jailed for four-month crime spree
A burglar who swiped mobile phones from a group of teenagers during a four-month offending spree has been locked up.
Sandwell criminal Simon Wilkinson committed a string of burglaries in the region between March and July.
The 42-year-old’s offending included snatching nine mobile phones from the group of youths at an Oldbury leisure centre. Wilkinson, of Coombe Hill, Cradley Heath, strolled into Portway Lifestyle Centre before stealing the phones, Sandwell Police confirmed.
The offence, which took place in March, saw the perpetrator target teenagers who had come together to watch a football match.
Officers revealed Wilkinson also managed to make off with a handbag when he returned to the leisure centre two months later. He entered the Newbury Lane venue before stealing a handbag from the staff room as he walked out.
Wilkinson was caught by police when officers seized CCTV footage from the leisure centre and linked the criminal to several other burglaries.
This included a burglary in Gorsty Hill Road, Rowley Regis – which was committed while he was on bail.
Officers said the footage also enabled police to link Wilkinson to the incidents at the Portway Lifestyle Centre.
The criminal, who failed to answer bail on July 11, was later discovered by police and connected to a further burglary in Stuart Road, Rowley Regis. He was also linked to an attempted burglary and theft in Lordswood Road, Harborne. Wilkinson was jailed for six years and four months when he appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court last Friday.
The defendant came before Judge James Burbidge QC, who punished the criminal for carrying out four burglaries.
later connected the 42-year-old to a further burglary in Stuart Road, Rowley Regis, and an attempted burglary and theft in Lordswood Road, Harborne.
