Elmbridge burglar jailed for seven years

Thanks to collaborative working between officers from Surrey Police and the Metropolitan Police, career burglar Frank Smith, 41 (dob 11/07/1983) of Bankside Drive in Thames Ditton, has been sentenced to 7 and a half years in prison at Kingston Crown Court.

Smith was sentenced yesterday (13 August), after pleading guilty to 11 offences across Surrey and London between April and May of this year.

Eight of these offences took place in the Surrey boroughs of Elmbridge and Epsom and Ewell and included five counts of commercial burglary, one count of residential burglary and two counts of theft from a motor vehicle.

Smith, who was known to police, was identified as the perpetrator of these crimes when he was seen by witnesses and on CCTV using an old-style Mercedes to travel to where the offences were committed. The same Mercedes was later found burnt out in Claygate in an attempt by Smith to throw police off his trail. He was arrested by Surrey Police on 15 May and remanded in custody.

Investigating officer PC Rachael Jordan from the Proactive Investigation Team, said; "Frank Smith is a prolific burglar who has little regard for the financial or emotional impact his crimes have on his victims. These offences all took place in a short time span and if we had not apprehended him, it is safe to assume he would have continued his crime spree. We were particularly pleased that we were able to recover a stolen engagement ring of the victim of the residential burglary, which obviously had huge sentimental value.

"Smith will now spend over seven years in prison and we hope this sentence is a deterrent to those who are considering committing burglaries in Surrey - we will pursue you and we will follow up on all viable lines of enquiry."

You can find some useful advice on how to keep your home safe from burglars here.