Leeds burglar stole rare coins in house break-in

A career criminal stole a collection of rare coins during a nighttime raid on a house in Leeds, a court heard.
Gavin Shaw.Gavin Shaw.
Gavin Shaw.

Gavin Shaw stole valuables worth a total of £3,500 after breaking into the property on New Street Grove, Pudsey, in the early hours of July 22 this year.

Shaw broke a window to get into the property, which was empty at the time, and used a hammer to try to smash his way into a safe. More than £200 worth of damage was caused to the property.

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Shaw, 32, also stole jewellery, electrical items and watches of sentimental value.

He was arrested after his DNA was found on the hammer which had been left at the scene.

Shaw, of Romney Mount, Pudsey, pleaded guilty to burglary. The court heard Shaw has a long criminal record, including two previous convictions for breaking into homes in Leeds.

He was jailed for two years, four months.

Shaw had been released on licence from an earlier prison sentence and managed to get a job in the demolition industry.

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He was temporarily out of work at the time as he was on an electric tag, was prevented him from travelling to do a job in Leicester. The court heard he committed the offence as he had no money and was desperate to pay his bills.

Jailing Shaw, The Recorder of Leeds, judge Peter Collier, QC, said: “You had made significant efforts to stay out of trouble. But unfortunately you reverted back to crime when you were in need of money.”

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