A prolific teenage burglar has been jailed after police caught him and two accomplices leaving the scene of a break-in.
Nineteen-year-old Luke Maxwell and his two friends crept into a property in The Chantry, Mansfield, in the early hours of the morning after gaining access through a set of rear patio doors.
As their victims slept upstairs, they stole a handbag containing a watch, bank cards and personal documentation.
Unbeknown to them the police had already been called by residents of a nearby property who had already seen a group of people trying to open car doors.
At around 2.20am on December 21 last year they were spotted by an officer in Little Barn Lane and arrested.
Maxwell, who has multiple previous convictions for burglary, was searched at the scene and found to have in his possession a bank statement belonging to his most recent victim.
Maxwell, of Hickling Court, Mansfield, later pleaded guilty to burglary.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday he was jailed for two years and four months.
Accomplices William Clarke, aged 22, and Rhys Searston, aged 19, both admitted to the same offence.
Clarke, of Gladstone Street, Mansfield, and Searston, of Simpson Road, Mansfield, were both handed fifteen-month sentences in a young offenders’ institution suspended for 18 months.
They were also ordered to carry out unpaid work.
Detective Constable Emma Beardmore, of Nottinghamshire Police:
“This was a horribly invasive crime carried out in the middle of the night.
“We should all feel safe in our homes at night so we never lose sight of the very serious impact offences of this nature can have on victims.
“Fortunately, response officers were very quickly on the scene and detained all of the suspects before they had a chance to dispose of the damning evidence of their crimes.
“I am pleased they have now been brought to justice and hope they each use this opportunity to address the causes of their offending and to change the direction of their lives.”
Mansfield 103.2 Afternoon News - 211124
