Teenage burglar caught after leaving his own house key at crime scene

A teenage house raider had his crime unlocked after his house key was found at the crime scene.
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Prolific offender Jordan Roche, 18, stole a haul of electrical goods after forcing his way into a friend’s home while he was in bed upstairs.

Magistrates in South Tyneside heard that Roche had been playing on the XBox console he stole with the victim just two days before. He also took a laptop computer.

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The court heard the householder was disturbed by a noise and found a wooden board and shards of glass on the floor before he ran outside and spotted Roche making his getaway in the street holding a carrier bag.

When he shouted out, Roche dropped the bag, which contained an XBox console, a game controller and a power unit for the console.

The complainant recovered the items but later found a laptop was also missing from his house

He alerted police, who arrested Roche at his home.

A key found at the burgled house, in Parliament Street, Hebburn, was found to fit the lock of the door of Roche’s house in Glenmoor, also Hebburn.

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Roche, of Glenmoor admitted burglary, and Magistrates felt the matter was so serious that he should be sent to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence.

David Forrester, defending, said Roche had initially visited the home to retrieve a key, before making the “stupid and mean-spirited” decision to carry out the burglary.

Glenda Beck, prosecuting, said; “The injured party said Roche had been at his home on Wednesday March 9 and that they had played on the XBox for a couple of hours. He said he had known Roche for two years.

“He had told him he was planing to be going out on the Friday – which was the night of the burglary.

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“On Friday, March 11, Mr Whitup said he was lying in bed at about 5pm when he heard a noise downstairs.

“He saw a wooden board covering an already damaged window lying on the floor and glass all over. He then ran outside and saw Jordan in the street.

“He shouted after him to stop but saw him throw the bag and continue on foot.”

She added: “He recovered the bag containing his XBox, a controller and power unit and, when he went back to his house, he found a laptop was also missing.”

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David Forrester, defending, said; “He was there two days earlier and had left his key in the house. He went back and knocked on the door but nobody was in. He has got in through the window.

“It was a very stupid, childish and very mean-spirited thing to do.

“But there was no degree of planning, no weapon involved and no suggestion the property was targeted.”

Roche was remanded in custody until he is sentenced.