Sheffield burglar with “appalling" record and 39 years of prison sentences swiped children’s piggy banks
“He has a terrible record”
A Sheffield burglar with an “absolutely appalling” record raided two houses and attempted three more on the same night - swiping a car, TV and children’s piggy bank money boxes, a court heard.
“Prolific” burglar Liam Taffinder’s previous jail terms have totted up to 39 years since he was 18.
He hit the homes during a two-week crime spree beginning on December 29 last year, during which he broke into four homes and tried to get into another three.
Sheffield Crown Court heard Taffinder attempted three break-ins on January 2 and was recognised by police on CCTV and Ring doorbell footage which captured him trying door handles and windows.
Three days previously on December 29 he had entered a sleeping couple’s bedroom through a window - stealing £37 cash from a wallet on the bedside table at the house on Firshill Gardens, Pitsmoor.
Kathryn Price, prosecuting, said the career burglar was snared for the raid when footprints from the carpet matched the Burberry trainers he was wearing upon his arrest.
Detailing Taffinder’s other successful raids, Ms Price said on January 4 around 1am he entered a house on Aldfield Way, near Fir Vale, through an unlocked front door - snatching four watches, a Swiss army knife and a pair of trainers.
The same morning at 5.02am he walked into another Pitsmoor house on Batworth Drive - stealing a 50” TV, a Hyundai i20 car worth £11,000 and an electric piano worth £850 - which were never recovered.
Taffinder’s last burglary in the run was another S5 property which he broke into with a pitch fork. Its owner returned home with her two children to find their money boxes - containing £400 - had been smashed and emptied.
He was arrested after DNA on the pitchfork matched that which police had stored.
The court heard Taffinder had nine previous convictions for dwelling burglaries for 30 separate offences.
His defence barrister Chris Aspinall said, for his “institutionalised” client, prison was “somewhere he feels safe and somewhere he knows he has a bed”.
Mr Apsinall added Taffinder “knows he has a terrible record”.
Jailing him for five-and-a-half years or the burglaries, attempted break-ins and an unrelated incident in which he violently assaulted another man, Judge Megan Rhys told Taffinder: “You have an absolutely appalling record.
“I’m told you are realistic and are aware nothing can be done in terms of your rehabilitation until you’re prepared to help yourself.”
Taffinder of Binstead Road, near Wadsley Bridge, admitted dwelling burglary, attempted burglary, car theft, assault with actual bodily harm and threatening with an offensive weapon in a private place.