Kizy Hills and Matthew Lacey burgled the house of Hills' former foster parents
A WOMAN burgled the home of her former foster parents stealing treasured family jewellery and leaving the victims feeling "devastated", a court heard.
Kizy Hills and fellow burglar Matthew Lacey broke into the house in Baglan in November 19 last year and stole a haul of jewellery including wedding and engagement rings belonging to the grandparents of one of her former guardians, and even the decoration from the top of a wedding cake.
But they were caught red-handed by neighbours who held them until police arrived.
The pair were then linked to a burglary in Alltwen the week before during which thousands of pounds worth of electrical items were stolen.
Hills, aged 30, of Ael-y-Fro, Rhydyfro, Pontardawe, and 37-year-old Lacey, of Gelliderw, Rhydyfro, Pontardawe, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary when they appeared at Swansea Crown Court via videolink for sentencing.
Tom Scapens, prosecuting, said the first burglary they carried out was at a house in Derwen Road, Alltwen, on November 7 last year, when they smashed their way into through a rear window before searching the property for things to steal.
They made off with a large haul of items including Clogau Welsh gold jewellery, two iPads, two laptop computers, Beats headphones, an iPod, XBox games console, cash, cufflinks and Argos vouchers.
The pair responsible for the break-in were caught on the property's CCTV system, and the image subsequently appeared in the Evening Post.
The Derwen Road intruders were caught on CCTV
Twelve days later the pair struck again, breaking into a house in Thorney Road, Baglan, by smashing a glass panel in a door to gain entry.
Mr Scapens said a neighbour in the street heard noises coming from the house and went to investigate — seeing the broken glass and believing the intruders to still be inside, he rang police.
He was joined by two more concerned neighbours just in time to see the front door of the house opening and Lacey — a scarf covering his face — and Hills emerge, jewellery hanging from the pockets of their jackets.
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The pair tried to make off, but the neighbours detained them until police arrived.
The court heard the couple who lived in the house provided foster care accommodation for youngsters in need. Hills had lived with them in the 1990s.
'Lifelong offenders'
Forensic evidence — including a footprint from Hills' Ugg boots — linked the pair to the earlier Alltwen burglary. None of the property from that break-in has been recovered.
The court heard Hills has previous convictions for some 73 offences, and Lacey for some 30 offences.
Victim impact statements from the couple in the Baglan break-in said the incident had left them feeling "devastated", and considering leaving the house they had lived in for four decades.
And they said the fact it had been committed by somebody they had cared for made it all the more hurtful.
Judge Geraint Walters described the pair as "lifelong offenders".
He said the fact that Hills had burgled people who had cared for her when she had been in need showed "how low people some people can behave".
The judge sentenced both defendants to three years in prison.
Read more at http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/woman-jailed-for-burgling-home-of-her-former-foster-parents/story-30087107-detail/story.html#8GXpqY2jJPOvzU5y.99
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