Burglar targeted his own sister - court

2:47pm Monday 12th May 2008

A DRUG addict stole £25,000 worth of jewellery from his sister's home, but was caught red-handed when he went back for more.

Worcester Crown Court heard Marco Harvey burgled his sister's Hartlebury home on February 12 this year and then pawned the takings.

Harvey, 35, admitted four counts of burglary.

Peter Tooke, prosecuting, said Harvey, of Bigbury Lane, Stourport-on-Severn, took an ipod from his sister home in October last year and pawned it for £1,705 at a Kidderminster shop.

His sister and brother-in-law realised the burglary had been committed by someone who knew them well, so they set up a trap.

"They told very few people that they were going away on February 16 and they arranged to conceal their cars to make the house look unoccupied," said Mr Tooke.

At midday his sister was still at the address when she heard the cat flap moving and heard someone walking about.

She was terrified - too frightened to use the phone.

"Eventually she came face-to-face with her brother and challenged him and he admitted he had pawned her property," he said.

The goods were later retrieved from the pawn shop.

Harvey later told police he had stolen to fund his drug abuse and he owed a substantial amount to a dealer.

Mr Tooke added that Harvey admitted another burglary in Kidderminster, which took place on March 3 in Offmore Road. Again he got through a cat flap and took purses.

CCTV showed him disposing of documents in a nearby bin.

He said Harvey had a long criminal record with more than 60 offences.

Adam Western, defending, said his client felt great remorse.

He added that, for the first time, his client taken serious steps to rid himself of drugs.

Harvey was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, and put on an 18-month supervision order and a drug rehabilitation programme.

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