Burglar sentenced after being witnessed by neighbour

A burglar has been sentenced after a neighbour witnessed him committing the crime.

Robert Mayer, aged 41, of Quay Street in Gloucester, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison after appearing at Gloucester Crown Court.

He pleaded guilty to burglary, theft and attempted theft and was sentenced to three years for the burglary. He was sentenced to another three months, to run consecutively, for the theft and attempted theft.

The burglary occurred last month, on Wednesday 24 August, on Priory Road in Gloucester, when Mayer climbed into a secure courtyard and kicked down a wooden door to the property. He carried out an untidy search and located the keys to a vehicle parked on the driveway. He looked inside the vehicle and then attempted to open a set of gates at the front of the property to escape.

Meanwhile, a neighbour was witnessing the burglary and called police. Officers quickly attended, disturbing Mayer who jumped over a garden fence to get away. He was later found hiding behind a wheelie bin in a nearby alleyway.

This case shows the importance of witnesses and that their sightings and information are key. If you witness a crime in progress or suspect suspicious activity, alert police immediately by calling 999.

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk