A thief scribbled his victim a sorry note after breaking into their house for a second time and stealing £1,000 worth of items.
Simon Tolley, 39, stole a television, a pit bike, a purse and a bank card in two separate break ins but scribbled down a quick apology before fleeing the scene.
The victim, who lived at an address in Ryder Road, Meir, was in the process of moving when Tolley targeted her home twice in December, per StokeonTrentLive.
Prosecutor Giles Pengelly said she left her address locked on December 11 with some of her belongings still inside. Metro reports.
When she returned the next day she saw she had been burgled, and her purse with £200 cash and a bank card inside was gone.
Her cousin then notices more items were missing on December 14, including a television, a drill, a pit bike and make-up – but this time there was a note.
Mr Pengelly told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court: ‘There was a note which said, ‘I am sorry’.
‘The complainant received a notification on her phone that her bank card had been used for an £11.25 transaction and another for £125 which was pending.’
Tolley then decided to try and sell the bike to the woman’s neighbours, who told her what had happened.
After making a few Facebooked inquiries, the victim was able to directly contact Tolley, who admitted using the card and offered to pay what he had spent on it.
Tolley, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and fraud.
He has now been sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years.
Steve Hennessy, mitigating, argued Tolley had set up and run his own business for 10 years – but he lost it during the Covid-19 pandemic.
His home and family life then deteriorated and he eventually wound up homeless and using drugs.
