House raider caught on CCTV (From York Press)

Burglar Robert Matthews caught on CCTV raiding York home

7:48am Monday 15th October 2012 in News

A HOUSEHOLDER’S computer expertise caught a burglar who raided his house while he was on holiday, York Crown Court heard.

Robert Harold Matthews, 27, who has 63 previous convictions, did not take anything from the house in Hinton Avenue off Foxwood Lane, said Alan Mitcheson, prosecuting.

But he was captured on film because the owner had set up CCTV linked to his computer in an upstairs room. It was activated by movement – and Matthews had entered the room on September 29.

Matthews, who lives in the next street, Bradley Drive, pleaded guilty to burglary and breaching a conditional discharge imposed for shoplifting and assault shortly before the raid and was jailed for three years.

Mr Mitcheson said the house was left locked on September 21 and was still locked when the householder returned from holiday on September 30.

But the Yale lock on an upstairs internal door had been interfered with and when the householder checked his CCTV he saw Matthews going into the room, looking round and leaving.

Matthews told police he had entered the house through a window in search of a cat he used to feed.

Several of Matthews’ previous convictions were for burglary and he was on licence for a sentence of three years and nine months when he committed the burglary.

His barrister, Taryn Turner, said he had moved to York in January when he was released part way through that sentence to start a new life. Previously he had lived in Cheshire.

He started a car valet business which was having some success and for the first time he thought he could make a go of life. But he succumbed to temptation.