Christmas Day burglar Anthony Allen was tracked down by police through his earphones after police were called to the home of a family he robbed in Ashford, Kent
Police captured a bungling Christmas burglar who stole items worth thousands of pounds by tracking him through his Airpods to an attic 22 miles away.
Investigating officers with Kent Police traced Anthony Allen, 47, to an address in Stanhope, Kent, where he was discovered cowering in an attic after robbing the home of the Olgun family in Boxley, Ashford. He was jailed for two years, four months and 23 days following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court on February 25.
The trial heard that police had been alerted to the robbery, during which Allen stole an estimated more than £3,000 worth of belongings, on Christmas Day after the Olgun family reviewed their CCTV cameras.
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Allen was seen on footage timestampted at 11.33pm lurking through the house and rummaging through drawers in the family living room. Kent Online reports that officers then tracked him down by tracing the Apple tech. Victim impact statements read to the court from the Olguns relayed the damage and emotional toll Allen’s robbery inflicted on the family.
One victim, Rozerin, highlighting the robber’s 25 previous convictions for 55 offences said she didn’t think the sentence was enough. She said: “I don’t think two years is anything, but obviously it is what it is.
“He has done it at other times, so he’ll do it again. That’s why I don’t think two years is enough.” Miss Olgun’s younger brother said his school work was damaged beyond repair. He said: “I am 17 and currently studying. To come home to find everything had been turned upside down has really affected me.”
I had to take time out of school, and when I’m there, I feel distracted.” Mitigating, Shanda McAteer explained Allen had suffered a loss before committing the crime, stating his long-term partner’s mother had passed away shortly following the death of his own father.
She claimed Allen, of no fixed address, had increasingly used drugs and alcohol following the losses. She added: “He hopes, through me, to apologise to the family. He’s clearly someone who does need help. He hopes to put offending behaviour behind him and repair his relationship with his children.”
Allen had previously pleaded guilty to burgling the Olguns home in a separate hearing, and the court heard he was subsequently convicted of burgling two other properties on the same day.
Judge Paul Goldspring told him: “You have an extensive and appalling criminal record. Burglary is not merely a crime against property; it’s an intrusion into the safety and security of those violated.” Allen must serve at least 40 percent of his sentence in custody, and will pay the statutory victim surcharge.
