A burglar who targeted homes in Bournemouth has been jailed for four years and four months.
Rodney Gary Donald, 49 and of Frances Road in Bournemouth, was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on Wednesday 9 January 2019 after admitting two counts of burglary. He also asked for three further burglary offences to be taken into consideration when he was sentenced.
Between 1pm on Sunday 12 August 2018 and 2.45pm on Monday 13 August 2018 a burglary occurred at a home in Knole Road.
The victim found a rear window had been smashed with a brick and entry gained to a utility room. However, the offender was not able to gain access to the rest of the house and nothing was taken.
Blood was found at the scene which was analysed and the DNA was shown to be a match for Donald.
A further burglary occurred at a flat in Talbot Road between 3.30pm and 9.45pm on Sunday 19 August 2018.
The victim discovered that their front door had been damage and two laptops, a hard drive, cables, handbag, tablet and rucksack had been stolen.
On Wednesday 29 August 2018 police were alerted after some of the items were seen to be for sale on Gumtree. The seller was found to be an IT store in Bournemouth, which confirmed it had purchased the items from a man who had visited them on Monday 20 August 2018.
Donald was identified from the CCTV and a number of the stolen items were recovered.
Donald was arrested at his home address on Thursday 30 August 2018 and after a search of his room officers recovered a number of items linked to three other burglaries in the Bournemouth area.
The defendant made admissions to the burglaries in Knole Road and Talbot Road as well as further break-ins at homes in Corhampton Road on Sunday 19 August 2018, Haviland Road on Friday 25 August 2018 and in Palmerston Road on Monday 27 August 2018.
Police Constable Chris Raspini, of Dorset Police’s Priority Crime Team, said: “Rodney Donald targeted five homes in Bournemouth over a short period in August last year and showed little regard for the impact of his offending on his victims.
“I am glad that through our investigations we were able to identify Donald as the man responsible for these crimes and recover much of the property that was taken.
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge residents to make sure they do not leave their homes vulnerable to being targeted by burglars such as Donald. For more crime prevention advice visit www.dorset.police.uk/help-advice-crime-prevention/home-property-belongings/protect-your-property/.”