Burglar raided landlady's home and office for cash

A tenant who feared he was going to be evicted burgled his landlady's home and office.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Thursday, April 6, how Mark Robinson, burgled his landlady’s home at Chesterfield Cattery, on Crow Lane, Chesterfield, as well as her nearby office.

Prosecuting solicitor Sam Matkin said the landlady lives in the upper floor and the defendant lived on the lower floor and the defendant paid rent and helped out at the landlady’s nearby stables where there is an office.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Matkin added that after the defendant learned the landlady had been looking to evict him he disclosed to his partner that he had stolen money and she reported him to the police.

The victim, according to Mr Matkin, returned from a weekend away to discover money had been stolen from her flat on Crow Lane and from the office.

Robinson told police that he had heard he was going to be evicted and he had drunk vodka and became suicidal and went to the victim’s flat where he found cash and the office keys and also took cash from there.

He admitted to police going on to buy crack cocaine and heroin.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The victim stated that she felt gutted because she felt she had helped Robinson.

Mr Matkin claimed Robinson stole about £450 in cash from the flat and office and also claimed that the defendant had stolen an engagement ring from the flat.

Robinson, of Beatty Walk, Ilkeston, pleaded guilty to committing the two burglaries but claims he only stole £130 and he denied stealing the ring.

Defence solicitor Kirsty Sargent said: “He accepts going into the kitchen area and into the office and that neither of these places are where he should normally have entered.

“There was no ransacking or damage caused.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The question is the value of the cash taken and he was clear to police about what he had taken and denies taking the ring.”

Magistrates adjourned the case until May 15 for a Newton Hearing to establish the exact amount of money stolen and whether the ring was also stolen.