Serial burglars face jail after admitting 'selfish' crimes at crown court

John Bothick, 43, and Colin Cram, 42, face a stretch in prison after they pleaded guilty to burgling an address on Victoria Terrace at a hearing held at Newcastle Crown Court.

The pair pounced after walking by the property and spotting an expensive Scott Aspect mountain bike and various accessories in the garage.

They helped themselves to the bike and other items, worth up to £1,000, before making off from the scene.

The victim became aware of the burglary, which happened in October 2019, after seeing his bike helmet lying on the floor of the garage.

Both Bothick, of Robert Street, South Shields, and Cram of Hedgeley Road, Hebburn, refused to cooperate with detectives upon arrest.

They then admitted burglary at Newcastle Crown Court due to overwhelming evidence against them and will be sentenced on Monday, March 2.

Detective Constable Mick Boyd, who is part of Northumbria Police’s dedicated Southern Burglary Team in Sunderland and South Tyneside, said the conviction sends out a strong message to other would-be criminals and the community.

“Burglary is an appalling crime that sees offenders often bring misery to law-abiding members of our communities for purely selfish gains,” he said.

“It is an intrusive crime that can have a long-lasting and adverse effect on not only victims, but their neighbours and the wider community. A home should be your safe haven – so we take these offences incredibly seriously.

“That’s why we have a dedicated Southern burglary team who review every raid that takes place across Sunderland and South Tyneside, target prolific offenders and monitor hotspots in a bid to prevent this type of crime from happening in the first place.

“In 2019, we saw some of our most prolific burglars locked up and handed significant custodial sentences – and we will look to do exactly the same again throughout 2020.

“Bothick and Cram are among those well-known to us after committing a number of burglary offences in recent years. Their conviction now means that they will be off the streets for the foreseeable future as a result of their selfish and unlawful actions.”