Burglar ransacked Sheffield OAP's home - even stealing hearing aids

Heartbroken victim Harry Bennett told Sheffield Crown Court in a victim impact statement he had lived in the same house for more than half a century.

Burglar Rebecca Kerrigan, aged 28, and her accomplice stole high-value items including a television and jewellery from the home in Crookes.

Harry said: “I have lived in this house for 54 years and I am staggered that someone would come into my house and steal my belongings.

“I’m particularly upset about a Sekonda watch that I was given by my friend Jane. It was the first present she bought me.

“This will change the way I live my life, I will have to be more security conscious.”

Mr Bennett had gone into the bathroom and only discovered the burglary 45 minutes later.

Prosecutor Neil Coxon said: “He went into his bedroom and found his wallet on the floor with £60 of money missing, along with his bank cards and driving licence.

“He went downstairs and found drawers open and that his Panasonic television was missing and noticed items including a Rotary watch and a Sekonda watch.”

But Kerrigan and her accomplice were caught thanks to a quick-thinking couple who took their photos and sent them to police after seeing them acting suspiciously and apparently ‘sizing up’ the back door Mr Coxon added: “So concerned was that witness that she contacted the police. The police arrived as the defendant and her accomplice were leaving in a Blue Suzuki. It was driven at speed.”

Police chased the vehicle for a short time but officers lost it in traffic. A short time later the getaway vehicle was found abandoned in the area with a number of Mr Bennett’s possessions including the TV and the watches inside. The money and his hearing aids were missing and have still not been recovered.

Police caught Kerrigan, of no fixed address, through fingerprints on Mr Bennett’s possessions.

She admitted burglary and the Judge Recorder Fiona Davies jailed her for two years, four months and 26 days for the burglary on October 22 last year and eight counts of theft.