Jade Cobden was jailed after Stone-on-Trend Crown Court heard she broke into two homes and acted like Goldilocks – possibly sleeping in one victim’s bed – before stealing
A homeless woman turned thief with the “attitude of Goldilocks” has been jailed after she broke into homes to use the owners’ facilities, including one’s washing machine.
Jade Cobden, 32, was sentenced to 20 months behind bars after she was found to have broken into two homes in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, earlier this year. During one break-in, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Cobden used the washing machine, a bed and possibly a tooth brush before stealing items at a property.
She had entered the home while the occupant was still inside and made off with a bag of his belongings, with the man later discovering she had hung up some clothes to dry after using his washing machine, and may have slept in his brother’s bed.
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Stoke Live reports prosecutor Emily Calman told the court that, during a burglary on June 28 at an address in Christine Street, Bucknall, an occupier “heard a sound downstairs” at 7am, and, on checking, said “hello” assuming it was his brother. But after checking his location via SnapChat, he realised his sibling was not at home, and spotted a woman leaving via the back door with a JD bag of his own items.
Miss Calman said: “He saw a woman leaving via the back door through the kitchen. He caught up with the defendant at the end of his drive. She repeatedly shouted, ‘I am homeless bro, I am sorry, I will pay you £20’. She threw £20 at him.”
She added: “She was described as irate by the victim. He demanded his bags back.” Miss Calman said the man realised Cobden had made herself at home in his property, using both his and his brother’s belongings before stealing some of them and fleeing.
Miss Calman said: “The man realised Cobden had been using the washing machine and had hung up washing to dry. She drank from a mug and took other drinks. She may have slept in the brother’s bed and may have used his brother’s toothbrush.”
Cobden burgled a second home on Dividy Road in Bentilee a matter of days later on July 2, breaking into the home of a hospitalised woman. When her son came home to check on the property, Miss Calman said, he noticed his mother’s dogs were “in the living room rather than the kitchen” and “saw a woman unknown to him”.
The prosecutor added the woman “appeared spaced out” then “started to laugh”. Fearing for his safety, he left the property and placed a call to police, later learning from neighbours that the woman had been coming and going from the address.
Cobden, of Werrington Road, Bucknall, was later tracked down by attending officers, and later pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary. The court heard she had 31 previous convictions for 77 offences, with her solicitor, Robert Holt, telling the court she “needs mental health support” and had been taking crack cocaine and heroin before she was taken into custody.
Mr Holt said: “She is susceptible to influences and to addiction. She was taking crack cocaine and heroin. She has realised she is becoming too old for this. In September, her children were given up for compulsory adoption.
“She is not able to have any further contact. She has been in custody for four months and has managed to use that time positively.” Recorder Robert Smith concluded Cobden had a “very bad record”, and chastised her as a “habitual thief” who had a “sense of entitlement” and “the attitude of Goldilocks”.
He said: “You have a very bad record for dishonesty. I accept you were homeless and desperate and also a chronic user of class A drugs. You are a professional thief with a bad record for thieving and general dishonesty.
“If you commit a dwelling burglary again you will be liable for the minimum three years. You went to two dwellings and were an unwelcome house guest from hell. Being homeless does not entitle you to have the attitude of Goldilocks. You are a habitual thief with a sense of entitlement.”
