Serial burglar struck at dementia sufferer's home during nine raids across Sheffield and Rotherham

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 4 how former homeless man Erik Kareaka, aged 27, now of Tideswell Road, Firth Park, Sheffield, admitted committing seven dwelling burglaries – including targeting two homes twice - and two non-dwelling burglaries at sheds which happened between August 2020 and September 2021.

The defendant, who has two previous convictions for dishonesty matters and suffers with learning difficulties, had come to the UK from Czechoslovakia and he had been homeless, according to the court.

Judge Rachael Harrison told Kareaka: “You were homeless in this country. Whoever you began to associate with you knew it was illegal to break into people’s houses.

“You went back to two of the houses and broke in again. You made your own decisions and you were prepared to lie to the police.”

Richard Davies, prosecuting, said Kareaka ransacked a home on Skelwith Road, Wincobank, Sheffield, and stole a flat screen TV and clothing but was captured on CCTV and he had left fingerprints on a window frame.

Kareaka burgled the same property again on the same day and he was found by the returning occupant asleep on his bed and police later found remnants of an eaten takeaway at the property and a DNA match on a glass, according to Mr Davies.

Mr Davies added Kareaka also struck at the flat of a dementia sufferer on Clun Street, at Burngreave, Sheffield, where a cooker had gone missing and a set of knives had been taken and clothing was left scattered around the property.

Kareaka returned to this same property and broke in again and a fridge was taken and the defendant’s DNA was found on a cigarette left at the property, according to Mr Davies.

The victim’s nephew stated: “These incidents are making him feel scared to be in his own home and all these incidents are causing stress to the family.”

Kareaka broke into a home on Selborne Street, near Eastwood, Rotherham, where electrical items valued at £3,850 were stolen as well as personal documents, according to Mr Davies.

Mr Davies said the defendant also struck at two allotment sheds on Hartley Lane, Rotherham, stealing tools, screws and a wheelbarrow valued at £185 from the first shed and a WiFi router and solar panels from the second shed valued at £75.

Kareaka also stole power tools from an unoccupied property on Eldon Road, near Eastwood, Rotherham, and he stole electrical goods valued at £1,196 and other items from a home on St Leonard’s Road, at Eastwood, Rotherham.

Defence barrister Nadim Bashir said Kareaka is married with four sons in Czechoslovakia and he hopes they will be able to join him in the UK in the future when he plans to lead an “industrious life”.

Judge Harrison who acknowledged Kareaka has had a difficult childhood and has shown signs of suffering with an emotional personality disorder sentenced him to 40 months of custody.

She told him: "The consequences are that you are going to serve a long prison sentence.”