A man from Coventry broke into a property while the occupant was travelling abroad and has now been sentenced after being captured on surveillance footage. His offending also involved taking a vehicle and spending money with stolen banking cards.
On May 30, Stacey targeted a residence on Bennetts Road North in Keresley during the homeowner’s vacation, Warwick Crown Court was told. The prosecution stated that the property owner observed the intrusion via security cameras as Stacey attempted to hide his features by donning a hat and sunglasses, and could do nothing to prevent it.
At approximately 12.15pm, Stacey and a second unknown individual walked into the rear garden before forcing open a side entrance, the court heard. However, the duo could not reach the rest of the dwelling as the utility room had been secured.
Officers were contacted, but the pair had already disappeared. Tools and batteries with a total value exceeding £300 were taken in the break-in, the court was told.
On the same date, Stacey took an £8,000 Fiat in Coventry. He employed a drill bit to shatter a window before coming back with an entire drill to bypass the ignition, the court heard.
He subsequently spent the stolen bank cards at locations on Foleshill Road and Holbrook Lane. Officers located the purloined Fiat in Sutton Coldfield on June 9.
The prosecution stated that the burglary victim posted pictures of Stacey on Facebook, and members of the public assisted in identifying him before his arrest in June. He initially claimed he was not the individual shown in the recording.
Stacey, who has 31 prior convictions spanning 66 offences, later acknowledged taking the Fiat and selling it to someone via Snapchat for £300. His barrister Simon Hunka submitted that the 35-year-old had struggled with substance misuse, which had severely impacted his life, and that he was grappling with domestic difficulties when the crimes occurred.
Stacey, from Longford Road, Coventry, entered guilty pleas to numerous charges and received a prison term of three years and eight months at Warwick Crown Court on Thursday, July 30. He was also banned from driving for three years and four months.