Sheffield burglar was tracked down after accidentally leaving his bank card with the victim

A burglar with a conscience was brought to justice after he tried to return a victim’s stolen bank card but mistakenly gave them his own.
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 21 how Alex Farkas, aged 28, of Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, committed two burglaries and a fraud after he had used a stolen bank card from one of the raids to buy alcohol.

But Clarkson Baptiste, defending, said Farkas was connected to the first burglary by police after he had intended to return the stolen bank card but accidentally handed over his bank card with his details.

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Mr Baptiste added: “His own conscience drove him to attend at the first address to furnish the bank card that he had taken during the burglary.

Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, has heard how a Sheffield burglar with a conscience was tracked down after he tried to return a stolen bank card to a victim but mistakenly gave them his own.Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, has heard how a Sheffield burglar with a conscience was tracked down after he tried to return a stolen bank card to a victim but mistakenly gave them his own.
Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, has heard how a Sheffield burglar with a conscience was tracked down after he tried to return a stolen bank card to a victim but mistakenly gave them his own.

"He mistakenly gave them his own bank card giving police a trail straight back to him and he was arrested.”

Farkas admitted a burglary on Sharrow Street, from December 26, and one on Pslater Lane, from January 8, and the fraud at a Steers Beers store in Sheffield.

Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said when Farkas had committed the two house burglaries the occupiers had been at home.

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Mr Baptiste said: “The fact he was discovered in the address in relation to the second offence. They discovered he was in the building. There were no threats of violence offered.

"There was no forced entry. No aggravating feature except that the occupiers were at home and of course they would have been distressed and he accepts that.”

Farkas had previously been a hard-working family man, according to Mr Baptiste, but he was introduced to drugs during a difficult time when he had separated from his partner.

But Mr Baptiste added that father-of-two Farkas has been addressing his drug problems and the court heard the defendant, who has mental health issues, has been reunited with his partner.

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Judge Michael Slater said Farkas’s offending started when the defendant sought funds to support his drug addiction and to buy alcohol, as was proven when he used the stolen bank card to buy booze.

He told Farkas he was deferring his sentence for six months until October 21 and if the defendant continues to address his addiction and rehabilitation he can expect a suspended prison sentence but if he does not comply he will face jail.