Exclusive:Sheffield burglar detained by shocked victim who returned home and found intruder in bedroom
Career criminal locked up
A Sheffield man who returned home and found a burglar in his bedroom grabbed hold of the intruder and detained him until police arrived.
The shocked family man had just returned from an evening out with his wife and children when he encountered defendant Anthony Vardy, aged 49.
Sheffield Crown Court heard Vardy had “packed bags” with items he had snatched from the Rutland Road house after “ransacking” rooms including those of the homeowner’s children.
Brian Outhwaite, prosecuting, said the family returned at 11.45pm to find lights on in the kitchen and upstairs in a bedroom.
He said: “The complainant went upstairs and found the defendant in a bedroom. He was challenged and taken hold of physically by the complainant and detained while the police were called.
“There was an attempt to escape but the complainant managed to keep hold of the defendant.”
The court heard among the items Vardy was found with when police arrived was a credit card belonging to the complainant’s wife.
Around an-hour-and-a-half before the Rutland Road burglary - at 10.10pm - Vardy had smashed the window of a house on nearby Pitsmoor Road while trying to break in.
He caused £1,500 damage and frightened a 16-year-old boy who was home at the time, the court heard.
Crack addict Vardy had 18 previous convictions for 36 offences, including five for burglary.
His barrister Cheryl Dudley said her client had “struggles” with PTSD and hoped to go to rehab when released from the inevitable jail term.
Jailing him for three years, Judge Charles Thomas told Vardy: “The reality is one does not need much imagination to understand the upset and emotional upheaval (the family) will feel having returned late at night to find an intruder in their house.
“You have more than two previous convictions on your previous record for burglary and that’s a significant aggravating factor.”
Vardy, of Brightmore Drive, Netherthorpe, Sheffield, admitted burglary and attempted burglary.