Fylde coast crime spree robber ends up in jail cell

Anthony McPartland, 29, of Fallowfield Road, Ansdell, admitted a string of burglaries, car crimes and attempted break ins when he appeared before Preston’s Sessions House Court.

The court heard he entered a house on Clifton Drive, on June 4 and stole a wallet, bank card, handbag, purse and sunglasses to the value of £420.

Prosecuting, Hanifa Patel said the victim had got up at 3am to go downstairs for a drink when he noticed his wife’s handbag was not where she left it.

She added: “A number of electrical items had been stacked up by the back door. Forensics visited his home and a fingerprint was recovered from a Kindle.”

The same day he committed fraud by using the stolen card at a Bargain Booze shop to buy £10.90 of goods.

On June 8, McPartland interfered with a Citroen Berlingo on Ripon Road after a neighbour, who was checking his CCTV, saw him try to get into a van which belonged to his neighbour.

But his biggest crime spree was on June 12. First, he entered a garage and stole cycle mudguards to the value of £20.

The affected couple had noticed their garage door was wide open and checked their CCTV.

It showed the defendant, at 1.54am, arriving on a bike before going to a Skoda and Vauxhall Astra and trying the doors.

He went off the camera for 20 minutes before returning and cycling away, during which time he entered the garage.

The court heard he then targeted a house where the driveway allows for four cars to be parked.

He interfered with a Vauxhall Astra, a Skoda Octavia and a BMW, and caused damage an Audi.

The homeowner received a call from a neighbour just after 4am telling him someone was on the driveway.

The man later realised he had been burgled.

McPartland had stolen a handbag, bank cards, £200 in cash, Tiffany sunglasses, and make up, to the value of £520.

Recorder Katherine Pierpoint sentenced him to three years and nine months, but reduced the sentence to three years and six months after a review at Chester Crown Court.