Notorious thief who committed more offences while enrolling on police programme is jailed

Craig Tombs was jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty at Birmingham Crown Court on August 27 to multiple burglary offences between June last year and April.

The 42-year-old, of no fixed address, broke into several homes across Birmingham, stealing thousands of pounds worth of items such as family jewellery, antique dining sets, and a car.

Tombs also pleaded guilty to burgling a church in Kings Norton, where 19 items were stolen, including silver plates and goblets dating back to the 1700s.

Tombs was previously convicted of burglary and was given an opportunity to have a deferred sentence and enter an intensive community sentence plan as part of the West Midlands Police Crime Free programme, which targets individuals who are engaged in prolific, non-violent burglary offending.

As part of the programme, the individual is given the opportunity to admit to previous offending, and they must give back the property that was stolen.

However, despite Tombs enrolling onto the Crime Free Programme, he went onto commit new offences, and as a result, he was handed a lengthier sentence of 10 years in prison for multiple offences and was also handed an 18-month driving ban.

PC Alan Reeves, from the West Midlands Police Crime Free Team, said: “Tombs was a notorious thief who repeatedly targeted homes.

“We worked with multiple policing teams and forces to arrest and charge him, and see him jailed.

“I hope this sentence offers justice to those that Tombs targeted, and that it sends a message to those who commit this crime, that we do not tolerate it and we will take action.

“We understand the cost and emotional distress that burglary causes, and where offences are reported we will investigate and work to identify those responsible.”