Jail for Cambridgeshire burglars caught on live camera feed after 6 break-ins in 24 hours

The victim had set up the security camera at his house in Church Street, Ickleton, and it was activated by Stuart Driver and Matthew Turner as they broke in at about 5pm on Monday, August 13 last year.

After receiving a notification on his phone, he watched the live feed as the pair entered via the kitchen before going upstairs and taking some jewellery. The victim phoned police.

The break-in was one in a series of six burglaries carried out by Driver, 45, of Thomas Road, Fulbourn, Cambridge and Turner, 32, of St Matthews Gardens, Cambridge, in a 24-hour period.

The pair also targeted a property less than half a mile up the road in Brookhampton Street, again forcing entry through the kitchen window. They ransacked the house, pulling things out of drawers and cupboards before taking jewellery worth around £1,000.

A court heard they burgled four more properties, two in Suffolk and two in Essex, stealing items including mobile phones, jewellery and cash.

On each occasion they escaped on a red motorcycle, which was seen by witnesses. Police also managed to track Driver and Turner’s movements via ‘Find My Phone’ data, fed back from a stolen Motorola mobile.

Both men were found guilty of all burglaries at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday, March 1, and were handed prison sentences. Turner was given six years and Driver was given 42 months.

Detective Constable Lisa Bacon said: “This was clearly a pre-planned operation, designed to target empty houses in quiet, affluent villages across the region.

“Turner and Driver managed to make off with a number of items, some very precious to the victims, who, understandably, feel their homes have been violated.

“Thankfully, Driver and Turner were caught soon after their crime stint due to the huge amount of evidence and intelligence gathered.”