Burglar caught with stolen goods in car after Leeds crime spree

Police found a car full of luxury goods stolen by a burglar during a series of break-ins at homes across north Leeds, a court heard.
Nathan O'SheaNathan O'Shea
Nathan O'Shea

Nathan O'Shea fled after officers stopped him driving his Ford Focus in Halifax on June 6 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard O'Shea continued to break into homes while on the run until he was arrested after a raid on a house in Yeadon nine days later.

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O'Shea was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to six offences of burglary and one of handling stolen goods.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing an identification with improper intent after he used a passport stolen in one offence to set up a Cash Converters account which he used to sell his stolen goods.

Anthony Moore, prosecuting, said the passport was stolen during a burglary at a house on Rawdon Road, Rawdon, on May 24.

O'Shea used it to set up an account at a store in Bradford the next day.

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He used the account to sell items stolen during a break-in on Emmott Drive, Rawdon, on May 29.

The next day O'Shea smashed patio doors to get into a house on Otley Road, Adel, and stole jewellery, cash, designer clothing and camera equipment.

On June 3 he stole boxes of cigars, champagne and coins from a house on St Giles Garth, Bramhope.

Two days later he broke into a house at a farm in Pool-in-Wharfedale and stole a gold watch, laptops, banks cards, a passport and other documents

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O'Shea stole more jewellery after smashing a window to get into a house on Harrogate Road, Rawdon on June 6.

Police recovered many of the items stolen during those raids after O'Shea fled his Ford Focus when stopped later that evening.

The next day he broke into a house on Nunroyd Avenue, Moortown, and stole items, including a watch and games console, which he then sold at Cash Converters.

O'Shea was arrested on June 15 after he broke into a house on Barfield Drive, Yeadon.

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Residents contacted police when they saw him walking away from the property with a bag containing valuable camera equipment.

He was detained on Church Street after being chased by officers.

The court heard O'Shea, of Larkfield Road, Rawdon has two previous convictions for domestic burglary.

Mark Brookes, prosecuting, said O'Shea committed the offences after getting into £,8,000 of debt and losing his job as a uPVC windows salesman.

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Jailing O'Shea, judge Mushtaq Khokar said: "I'm afraid there is nothing I can do other then impose a lengthy sentence.

"You know that if you come out and commit further offences in the future then sentences are going to get longer and longer."