Burglar locked up over crime spree in south Leeds

A court heard Steven Regan broke into properties in the Beeston area of the city as homeowners were asleep in bed.

Children were present during some of the break-ins and Regan also preyed on vulnerable elderly victims.

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Leeds Crown Court heard Regan broke into a family home on Lady Pit Lane on January 5 this year and stole keys to a VW Golf before driving off with the vehicle.

He then stole the number plates from a similar car in Leeds city centre before fitting them to the stolen vehicle in order to avoid detection.

Regan targeted a house on Maud Avenue the next day and stole electrical items worth £850.

He was later caught on CCTV selling them at a Cash Converters store.

Regan then forced his way into a house on Temple Crescent on January 8 and stole mobile phones and bank cards.

He burgled the home of an 87-year-old man the same night on Beeston Road and left his fingerprints at the scene.

The court heard Regan carried out a “brazen” burglary at the home of another elderly man on Hardy Street on January 9.

He went into the victim’s bedroom as he was still sleeping and stole a wallet.

Regan also caused £350 worth of damage to the property.

Police arrested Regan on January 10 and some of the property stolen in the raid was found in his flat.

Regan, 40, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to five offences of burglary, taking a vehicle without consent and theft from a vehicle.

He had previous convictions for burglary offences.

The court heard Regan committed the break-ins in order to fund his addiction to drink and drugs.

Regan was jailed for three years, eight months.

Jailing him, Recorder Abdul Iqbal, QC, said: “This type of offending has a serious impact both upon the occupants of these houses who, unsurprisingly, would have been scared and psychologically effected for a considerable period of time. It amounts to an invasion of the sanctuary of their homes.”