Bungling crook caught by letter (From Southend Standard)

Bungling crook caught by letter

4:00pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Southend

A BUNGLING crook was caught by police...after he opened a letter at the house he was burgling.

Ade Gray left his fingerprints on the letter at the house in Lloyd Wise Close, Southend, as he burgled it of £1525 of goods.

This led police to search his house where they found found a camera which was stolen during the break-in.

Several watches, a computer monitor, two mobile phones and a gold sovereign ring had also been taken during the burglary on August 14.

Gray, 22, of Lavender Place, Ilford, appeared before Southend Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to burglary.

Paula Fell, mitigating, said her client accepted full responsibility but that two other people were involved, who had led him.

She said: "Rather than not getting involved he chose to join in."

She said one of these men had been staying at his address and had left the camera there. Gray was bailed until November 5 for a pre-sentence report. Until then he must obey a curfew between 8pm and 7am.