Horsforth burglar foiled by residents who were alerted on neighbourhood watch Whatsapp group as he was caught on camera breaking into doctor's house and stole child's piggy bank

A burglar was caught after a doctor alerted his neighbours on a WhatsApp group as he watched him breaking into his home on remote technology.
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Arron Scott was foiled after targeting the property on Lee Lane West while the doctor was at work on September 7 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard the doctor was alerted to the offence by a security app on his mobile phone.

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He was then able to access CCTV cameras at his home from the device and saw Scott looking through a window at the house.

Lee Lane West, Horsforth.Lee Lane West, Horsforth.
Lee Lane West, Horsforth.

The doctor activated the alarm system at his home and sent a massage on a neighbourhood WhatsApp group stating: "Intruder around property."

Scott picked up a piece of Yorkshire stone and threw it through a window before entering the property.

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The neighbour shouted: "Do not go anywhere, I am calling the police."

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Scott then picked up some bags and pulled his hood up before walking away.

A neighbour asked another resident to call police while he took pictures of Scott and followed the defendant.

Scott climbed over a wall and walked away but the neighbour followed him and gave a running commentary to police.

The defendant stopped outside a student halls of resident and transferred some of the stolen items into two bags.

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Scott was arrested nearby in possession of stolen property which including a child's piggy bank full of change, watches, jewellery and a bottle of wine.

He was also found in possession of a lock knife and a pair of pliers.

Scott, 34, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of a blade in public.

The doctor provided a victim statement to the court describing how he felt his home is now unsafe for his children.

Scott has previous convictions for burglary and theft.

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Rukshanda Hussain, mitigating, said the incident happened shortly after Scott had been confronted by a paedophile hunter group.

Ms Hussain said no criminal charges resulted from the incident but it had cost him his job, his home and his family.

The barrister said Scott committed the offence when he was homeless and desperate for money to buy food.

Scott was jailed for 16 months.

Judge Simon Batiste said: "You stole items including a child's piggy bank.

"A little lower it is not possible to go, quite frankly."