Gotcha! Crook caught after carrying out burglary wearing GPs tracker - Leeds Crown Court

A BUNGLING burglar was caught after he carried out a break-in at a family home while wearing an electrically monitored tag.
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Mark Preston carried out the burglary after being released from prison on licence with a condition that wore GPS tagging equipment.

Leeds Crown Court heard Preston, 25, was brought to justice thanks to “compelling” evidence after satellite tracking data placed him at the scene of the offence in Horbury, Wakefield.

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Michael Smith, prosecuting, said the house on Parker Road was targeted in the early hours of January 14 this year as a couple and their child were in bed.

The victims awoke to discover electrical items including a play station, iPhone and laptops were missing along with keys to their car parked outside.

The car was not driven away but some of the stolen items had been placed inside the vehicle.

Mr Smith said around £500 worth of property had not been recovered.

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Preston was identified as a suspect when his probation officer accessed computer systems which showed he had been in the property for around ten minutes on the night of the burglary.

Mr Smith said: “As part of his licence conditions he was wearing GPS tagging equipment, which allowed the police to track his movements with a degree of precision.

“It is accurate to within about two metres so it was compelling evidence that the defendant committed the offence.”

Police later found the stolen car keys at Preston’s home.

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Preston, of Skinner Lane, Pontefract, pleaded guilty to burglary.

The court heard Preston was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

He was released on licence in August last year but recalled to prison after his arrest for the burglary.

Michael Devlin, mitigating, said Preston had admitted the offence at an early stage and accepted he would be facing a custodial sentence.

He was jailed for 16 months.