Jail for prolific thief

A MAN who broke into a vehicle less than 24 hours after his release from prison has been jailed.

Paul Priestley, 39, of Bringhurst, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court yesterday (20 March) to two and a half years after admitting more than 150 thefts from vehicles. 

Priestly was identified on CCTV stealing or attempting to steal from four vehicles between September 2017 and January 2018 and his DNA was on a lighter found in a wallet left at one of the scenes. 

He was arrested on 1 February and admitted to the four offences in interview, as well as another 151 vehicle offences. 

Priestly pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from a motor vehicle, one attempted theft from a motor vehicle, one count of interference with a motor vehicle and one count of breach on a criminal behaviour order at a previous court appearance with the other 151 offences taken into consideration. 

Detective Inspector Dave Taylor said: “Priestly showed no regard for people’s property, helping himself to others belongings. 

“However admitting the other 151 offences we were able to update the victims and close their cases. 

"People in the area he targeted were concerned by this spate of crime to the extent they consider setting up their own patrols to protect their vehicles and belongings.

“I hope his sentence will reassure those people that these offences were taken seriously and he has now been brought to justice.”