Connah's Quay,North Wales - Neighbours praised after Connah's Quay burglar caught red-handed is jailed for six years

Published date: 02 November 2016 | 

Published by: Owen Evans 
Read more articles by Owen Evans Email reporter

Vigilant members of the public have been praised after a burglar was caught red-handed by police.

Cheshire Police praised the “community spirit” of neighbours for notifying police of a man acting suspiciously in Saughall – which led to him being apprehended midway through a burglary.

Nicholas Wilcock, 40, of Dodds Drive in Connah’s Quay, was jailed for six years at Chester Crown Court after admitting two burglaries and asking for two further burglaries to be taken into consideration.

Detective Sergeant Nick Henderson said: “I’d like to thank the vigilant neighbours who spotted suspicious activity and called police.

“If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have been able to get there to catch him in the act.

“Such community-spirited people make it more difficult for those intent on committing crime.

“I’d urge everyone to be vigilant and call police on 101 when they spot suspicious activity to help us bring criminals to justice.”

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On October 20 Wilcock admitted two burglaries and asked for two others to be taken into consideration.

The court heard that on September 19 at 9.45am a victim disturbed Wilcock in a property on Hermitage Road, Saughall, after he had forced entry via a front window.

He fled the scene with jewellery before forcing entry to another home on Seahill Road in Saughall by smashing a side window.

DS Henderson added: “A neighbour reported this and immediate police attendance resulted in Wilcock being detained in the house.

“Wilcock had only been out of prison for six weeks.”

The ensuing investigation led police to recover all the stolen property and Wilcock was subsequently charged with both offences and asked for burglaries in Hawarden and Connah’s Quay to be taken into consideration. 

Both had been committed in the previous week.

DS Henderson said: “The victims will hopefully find some solace in the fact the man who violated their homes and took their possessions has been put behind bars and that their possessions were returned.”

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