Burglar who broke into two businesses inside an hour jailed for more than a year

John Buckley (31) and a man who is yet to be identified used an axe to smash their way into Vanquish Auto Solutions, Eynesbury, St Neots, at about 10pm on April 12. Police were called by the owner who was watching the break-in through a CCTV app on his mobile phone.

When officers arrived the men had fled the scene and a quick search of the building revealed nothing had been stolen.

Less than an hour later police attended a burglary at Concept Life Sciences in Bar Hill and caught the pair red-handed. Buckley, who was wearing a head torch and armed with a crowbar, warned officers to “stay back” but was sprayed with PAVA and detained while the other man escaped.

The pair had been driving a VW Touareg on false plates after it was stolen during a burglary in Cambridge last December. The vehicle was searched and a box full of cash, which had been stolen from a vending machine inside of Concept Life Sciences, was found in the boot.

Officers were able to confirm Buckley was responsible for the burglary in Eynesbury earlier that night after checking CCTV and getting a match on his clothing and car.

Buckley, of no known address, was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment at Peterborough Crown Court last Thursday (May 23) after pleading guilty to two counts of burglary and handling stolen goods.

DC Stuart Webling said: “Buckley was looking for quick cash and didn’t care how he got it, leaving the business owners at a substantial loss to repair the damage that was left.

“Burglary can have a lasting impact on victims which is why tackling it is one of our priorities.”

For online burglary prevention advice visit: www.cambs.police.uk/A-Z/Burglary.

Anyone with information about burglary should call police on 101 or visit www.cambs.police.uk/report. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.