Ronald Henderson jailed for five years after Whitby burglaries

Ronald Henderson, 39, of Park Road South in Middlesbrough has today (July 26) been sentenced at York Crown Court to five years in prison after the burglaries in Whitby.

On June 23 Henderson travelled to Whitby where he entered a residential property and when challenged by the owner, claimed to be looking for a B&B.

He then entered a nearby B&B where he took the keys for the owner’s car, leaving the scene in the vehicle and driving it back to Middlesbrough.

The next day, Henderson travelled back to Whitby where he targeted another residential address whilst the occupant was sleeping, stealing two mobile phones, a purse containing bank cards and a quantity of prescription medication.

He then gained access to a café and tried to open the till, causing £800 worth of damage to the property.

The stolen vehicle was found abandoned in Middlesbrough by Cleveland Police and a check of the registration showed that the plates had been changed. It was soon discovered to be the vehicle stolen from Whitby and was safely returned to its owner.

Officers from North Yorkshire Police began investigating the incidents and their enquiries revealed CCTV footage of Henderson driving away from the Whitby property in the stolen vehicle and on the second night, breaking into the café.

Henderson pleaded guilty to four counts of burglary and one count of taking a vehicle without consent. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Henderson was relentless in targeting Whitby over these two days, taking whatever he could get his hands on and causing distress to both residents and business owners.

“Thanks to the officers who attended the incidents and the CCTV footage, we were able to quickly identify Henderson and bring him to justice before he could cause any more disruption.

“We’d also like to thank our colleagues at Cleveland Police who helped ensure the stolen vehicle could be safely returned to its owner.”