A Cardiff mother has described feeling “exposed, vulnerable, and utterly shaken” after a burglar broke into her Butetown home whilst she and her daughter slept upstairs.
Thomas Pithers, 31, of North Luton Place, smashed his way into the property on 5th May, stealing a £400 mountain bike, two laptops, headphones, and a handbag containing a £300 Louis Vuitton purse 💼
The victims discovered the break-in when they woke to find their patio and kitchen doors wide open. Police tracked down Pithers after he used the victim’s bank card at a shop, with CCTV footage identifying him and a tracker on the stolen headphones leading officers to his Adamsdown address.
In her victim impact statement, the woman told Cardiff Crown Court: “This has left me deeply traumatised and profoundly impacted. My sense of safety has been shattered and every noise I hear leads to a jolt. When my home was violated I felt sick in my stomach and an overwhelming sense of vulnerability.
“It’s a theft of my peace of mind. I have epilepsy and haven’t slept well since that night as I don’t want to be in that position ever again. I am constantly checking locks and jump at noises. Leaving my home fills me with dread about what I will return to.
“It’s affected my work, relationships, and my ability to relax. I feel exposed, vulnerable, and utterly shaken. My emotional scars are deeper than the damage to my property. I’m worried about what would have happened if I had gone downstairs and fear he would have killed us.”
Pithers, who has 48 previous convictions including burglaries, pleaded guilty to the charge. The court heard he has a “significant drug addiction” following a traumatic childhood.
Judge Lucy Crowther sentenced him to 30 months imprisonment, telling him: “Every person has a right to expect to feel safe in their own home and you had no regard or respect for them. You just went in and took what you wanted in order to indulge yourself. These people worked hard to gain their home and gain their possessions and you just took them.”
