Holidaying thief raided 15 homes in two weeks

A NEATH man who burgled more than a dozen houses while he was on a caravan holiday in Tenby has been jailed for four years.

Darren John Inder broke into 15 houses in just two weeks in the seaside town, and got away with cash, credit cards and jewellery.

Most of his victims were elderly, and a Crown Court judge said Inder had subjected the people of Tenby to a campaign of crime.

After he was caught the 33-year-old also confessed to carrying out ten burglaries in the Port Talbot area.

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Swansea Crown Court heard how Inder burgled a series of Tenby properties in Green Crescent, Warren Street, The Glebe, The Green, Broadwell Hayes, Lyndhurst, West Cliff, Heywood Lane and Serpentine Road in June this year.

Creighton Harvey, prosecuting, said all the break-ins took place in the middle of the night while the occupants slept.

Inder, of Chamberlain Road, Briton Ferry, also admitted a series of thefts and attempted thefts, and to possessing seven grams of heroin.

All the crimes were carried out while he holidayed in a caravan at Kiln Park with his then girlfriend in June of this year.

Mr Harvey said most of the occupants had been elderly but only one had been disturbed during the burglaries.

He said Inder had tried to use the stolen credit cards and on one occasion managed to extract £300 from a cash machine.

He was arrested on June 26 at the caravan he had been staying in.

During two days of questioning Inder confessed to the burglaries and helped police recover some of the stolen items, which included a £1,300 wristwatch.

He said he had operated by creeping into gardens and feeling door handles to find one that was unlocked.

He also admitted to carrying out ten burglaries in the Port Talbot area.

His barrister, Frank Phillips, said Inder, a father of two, had been addicted to heroin and needed the proceeds of his crimes to fund his habit.

Inder, he added, was now deeply ashamed.

The court heard that Inder began his offending just one day after a suspended prison sentence had expired.

Judge Keith Thomas said Inder had a dreadful record for house burglaries and on this occasion had subjected the people of Tenby to a campaign of crime.

During one break-in the 73-year-old woman living there had woken up.

"She was understandably terrified at hearing you breaking in," said Judge Thomas.

"Many of the occupiers were elderly and in some cases children were present."

gill.roberts@swwmedia.co.uk

01792 514626