A peckish burglar was caught in Cardiff after he bungled his escape by eating half a banana during the robbery – and leaving the rest.
Stephen Kingman, 48, was interrupted and fled during his attempted burglary in Danescourt, but DNA swabs taken from half a banana identified him, matching with his profile on the police’s national database.
Officers found Kingman had planned to steal watches, aftershave, a phone, food and drink, which he had gathered in the kitchen, before he was disturbed.
Jurors at Cardiff Crown Court heard that during the early hours of March 9, 2022, a man at a house in Vista Rise, Danescourt, heard a noise coming from downstairs. He got up and heard someone going out through the front door.
Detective Constable Stephen Mayne said: “South Wales Police will use all available technology, combined with traditional methods, to bring offenders to justice and will leave no stone unturned to identify those responsible.
“We recognise that being a victim of burglary is a traumatic experience and we hope this case demonstrates the efforts we go to during our investigations.”
Jailed for 42 months
Kingman was jailed for 42 months at Cardiff Crown Court after admitting three counts of burglary, fraud and interference with a motor vehicle.
Kingman was linked to a similar robbery at Heol Seddon, Llandaff, in September last year, after the occupant woke to find her kitchen window open and cleaning products and food and missing. On January 5, 2022, he was identified through facial recognition software, trying to open a car door in Fairwater.
In March 2022, bank cards stolen from a house in Vista Road, also in Fairwater, were used at a local Premier Store.
Police Officers recognised Kingman from the shop’s CCTV, which showed him using the cards to buy biscuits, an energy drink, bread and cigarettes.