Burglar jailed for £11,000 rural property crime spree

A “professional” burglar has been jailed after going on a “spree” of offending, stealing thousands of pounds worth of equipment and fuel from rural properties just months after his release from prison.

Gareth James, 43, of Valley View Road in Cwmtillery, appeared at Newport Crown Court charged with several burglary and theft offences committed between 25 and 30 July.

The court heard James targeted four rural properties, stealing tools, equipment, horse tack worth over £1,000 from a shed on Salisbury Terrace in Pontypool, and items valued at around £5,000 from Greenfield Terrace – including a mini digger bucket, cone splitter, timber grab, toolbox with tools, air compressor, and hydraulic oil.

He also made off with a trailer and water container worth more than £5,000 combined from another Pontypool property, and stole a “significant quantity” of diesel from a property in Abertillery, cutting phonelines during the theft.

James used cloned number plates on his Mitsubishi L200 in an attempt to avoid detection, but police connected the vehicle to him and recovered some stolen items when his home was searched.

The defendant pleaded guilty to two non-dwelling burglaries, two theft offences, forging a registration mark, and driving without a licence or insurance.

James had 34 previous convictions for 106 offences, including 24 for theft and similar offences. He had been released from prison on 24 March but was recalled to custody for breaching his licence condition.

Defence solicitor Hashim Salmman noted: “Fortunately, some of the items were recovered.”

Judge Shomon Khan told James: “You have got an appalling record. This was a spree of offending over a short period of time. You were looking for high-value items. You used a vehicle with cloned plates to avoid detection.”

James was sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment and will be disqualified from driving for a year once released.