Man jailed after spate of Durham City burglary crime
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A burglar who thought he could evade being caught after mocking police on a ring doorbell has been jailed.David Appleton – known locally as Reggie Cooper – taunted officers from his hideout as they conducted their enquiries, but little did he realise that with help from the Gilesgate community, in Durham City, he would soon be caught.
A wanted appeal was circulated on the force Facebook page after he was suspected of committing a residential burglary, taking a vehicle without consent and the theft of two motorbikes. Before long, officers found him hiding behind a sofa at an address in the city.
The 25-year-old, of Gilesgate, appeared at Durham Crown Court today (April 17) where he pleaded guilty to offences including burglary, handling stolen goods, theft of a motor vehicle and driving offences.
He was sentenced to a total of 30 months behind bars.
Detective Sergeant Ryan Harrison, of Durham City Volume Crime Team, said: "I would like to thank the community for helping to spread our wanted appeal and coming forward with information.
"A heartfelt thank you must go to one of the victims in this case, one of which shared her emotive story in court, showing the real impact of the incident on her life.
"We're dedicated to tackling crime in Durham and will continue to pursue criminals in our community.
“Appleton didn't care about his victims, but thankfully, he now has had to face the consequences of his actions.”