A burglar who confronted a woman in her own home with a chisel has been jailed for four years.
Charles Daysley, 36, broke in to the victim’s home on Springbank Crescent, Headingley, while she was ill in bed on January 11 this year.
When she heard noises she thought it was her husband returning from the chemist.
But Leeds Crown Court heard that she was then shocked when she was confronted by Daysley holding the weapon.
He demanded money and the victim gave him her purse containing cash.
The incident happened shortly before 10am.
Daysley then broke into a garage at a house on Eden Drive, Headingley a short time later and took a spade and a screwdriver.
He then used them to try to force open the kitchen window of the house but was disturbed and ran off, the court was told.
Police were called to the scene and the West Yorkshire Police helicopter and dog unit were called in to support the search of the area.
Officers found a rucksack that Daysley had dumped nearby containing prescription medicine with his name on it.
They also discovered the purse which had been taken from Springbank Crescent.
Moments later the helicopter crew spotted Daysley hiding in a garden and he was detained by the dog unit.
Daysley, of St Hilda’s Place, Cross Green, was arrested and pleaded guilty to burglary and attempted burglary.
Det Insp John Dexter, of North West Leeds Division, spoke to the YEP after the court case.
He said: “This case is an excellent example of the work we are doing on a daily basis across north-west Leeds to tackle burglary.
“It involved all the elements that are helping us to target this type of crime.
“This ranged from the quick-thinking member of the public who alerted us, the officers who rushed to the scene supported by the helicopter and dog team, to the detectives who got him to admit the offences and put him before the court.
“We hope it will provide some reassurance to his victims and the wider community and also send out a clear deterrent message to criminals who think they can commit offences and get away with it.”
Last week it was revealed by the Home Office that crime in West Yorkshire fell across the board by nine per cent in the year to September 2012.
But burglary rates have remained stubbornly high.
In the lead up to Christmas West Yorkshire Police launched It Only Takes a Minute Burglary Campaign to tackle the issue.
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