Prolific thief back behind bars

A prolific thief is back behind bars after being arrested, charged and remanded in custody within 24 hours of his latest offence.

Bruce Heaman attempted to force entry into a property on Bondicar Terrace in Blyth at around 1.40am on April 30.

Officers swiftly responded to the report and the 38-year-old was located within 20 minutes, hiding in a nearby garden with a knife in his possession.

Heaman was arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary, and enquiries soon linked the repeat offender to another attempted break-in at a nearby premises.

It was reported later that morning that the window panel on the front door of the premises had been broken, and blood from the scene was later found to be a match for Heaman.

Heaman, of no fixed abode, was charged with two counts of burglary and one count of possession of a bladed article.

He pleaded guilty to the offences at Newcastle Crown Court in May, and was sentenced at the same court on Monday to 30 months’ imprisonment.

Leading the investigation, Detective Constable Jon Mullen, of Northumbria Police, said:

Thanks to a rapid response from our Blyth Response Policing Team, Heaman is now facing justice for his actions.

Burglary is an invasive crime which leaves victims feeling unsafe in their own homes, and I hope this excellent result at court will reassure our communities that we will do act swiftly and do everything in our power to bring offenders before the courts.

Northumbria Police have three dedicated burglary teams based across the North East who are tasked with reviewing every break-in, pursuing perpetrators and working with colleagues to help prevent further offences from taking place.

If you’ve been a victim of crime, please report it by sending us a DM, using the live chat function or by visiting the ‘Report’ page of our website.

In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always ring 999.