Burglar Mark King was so confident no one had seen him enter a Peterborough flat in the early hours, and flee quickly with his haul, he didn’t even bother to change his clothing or remove the same rucksack for a trip into the city centre later in the day.
But behind the scenes the landlord of the flats had been busy, reviewing CCTV, and getting a clear image of him.
And King had the same red rucksack over his shoulder, and was wearing the same clothes, when the landlord spotted him in the centre of Peterborough.
The landlord called police and stayed on the line to guide officers in and make an arrest.
King, 34, stole an HP laptop, Samsung mobile phone, Apple watch, a metal card wallet and £5 from a flat inside King’s Gate House, in Cowgate, Peterborough, at about 2am on Wednesday, 22 November.
The victim was asleep at the time but woke at about 4am and found the items missing.
King was seen to enter the building on the complex’s CCTV system, climbing the stairs to the flat and six hours later after reviewing the CCTV footage, the landlord spotted him in the City Centre, recognising his red rucksack and long hair.
King was arrested but none of the stolen property was found with him.
On January 22, at Huntingdon Law Court, King, of Swanspool, Ravensthorpe, Peterborough, was jailed for three years, having pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary.
DC Jeremy Turner, who investigated, said: “Burglars cause utter misery for victims as they violate their homes and steal their property, so I am glad King has faced justice.”
