Man who stole Christmas...presents, is jailed

On Monday, December 10, Thomas Pawlak, 32, of Hemingford Road in Cambridge, was arrested by officers as part of a week-long operation to tackle burglary in the south of Cambridgeshire.

Two days earlier Pawlak entered a home in Hobart Way and left with the wrapped presents. He was identified by the victim as being responsible for the theft and brought into Parkside Police Station to be arrested.

The following day he was charged with burglary and has since pleaded guilty to the offence and sentenced to nine weeks in prison. Most of the stolen gifts have been recovered and returned to the victim in time for Christmas Day.

Five other arrests were during the week of action; a 20-year-old woman from Cambridge was issued with a conditional caution, a two men aged 37 and 47, both of no fixed address and a 51-year-old man from Cambridge were all released with no further action due to insufficient evidence, while a 19-year-old man from Huntingdon was issued with a conditional caution.

On Tuesday, 11 December, officers visited a 25-year-old man in prison, who is currently serving a sentence for dwelling burglary, in connection with two burglaries in Cambridge. A file has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision