Bizarre burglar broke into Leeds car-rental business...and stole a pair of socks
A burglar who broke into a car rental firm in Leeds helped himself to a pair of socks he found, but caused thousands in damages.
Opportunist Gheorghe Detesan climbed over the fence of the Hertz compound on Wellington Road but failed to notice the CCTV cameras.
The break-in happened in June 2020, and Judge Simon Phillips KC expressed his dismay at the case taking nearly five years to reach Leeds Crown Court.
Detesan had helped himself to pair of socks from a valeting outhouse and caused damage totalling more than £5,000.
His blood was later found on an internal door and he was eventually arrested. He gave a no-comment interview to police.
Now 42, and living in Upper Queen Street in Rushden, Northamptonshire, he admitted a charge of non-dwelling burglary.
The court heard he has five previous convictions for 14 offences, including a burglary at Leeds University.
A probation report into the Hertz burglary read out to the court suggested Detesan had been out looking for work when he walked past the compound. However, he gave no explanation as to why he broke in.
Judge Simon Phillips KC told him: “This was highly anti-social offending causing financial loss.
“You should be ashamed of your behaviour and what you did.”
He acknowledged the passage of time and gave him a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for 24 months, with 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered him to pay £1,400 court costs.