Peterborough crook 'addicted to offending' is jailed again - this time for crimes in Skegness
Paul Priestley was labelled a “one man crime wave” and a “menace to people who own a car” for his countless crimes in Peterborough
A career crook who has been labelled labelled a “one man crime wave” and a “menace to people who own a car” for crimes committed in Peterborough has been jailed again – this time for offences in Skegness.
Paul Priestley has been in and out of prison on a number of occasions over the past two decades – and now he is back behind bars again.
Priestley has a criminal record dating back more than 25 years, with more than 100 crimes recorded against him, along with a large amount of offences ‘taken into consideration’ over the years – many for vehicle interference or theft from cars. In 2023 – his last court appearance in Peterborough in 2023, his solicitor told Peterborough Magistrates that Priestley was ‘addicted’ to trying car door handles.
His latest spree – including 80 offences in four months – took place between July and early November 2024.
Lincolnshire Police said his crimes 'blighted the community.’
A spokesperson for the force said: “The cases were initially linked by Response officers who had been called by victims of Priestly’s crimes. They realised that the offences were connected, leading to a significant investigation and the identification of Priestly as a suspect. He was originally charged with a handful of offences in November, and bailed, during which time our officers continued investigating, finding evidence linking him to further incidents.
“During interviews, he admitted to "a lot more" offences.
“Priestly was charged with nine counts of theft from a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of amphetamine, 11 breaches of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), two counts of vehicle interference, and possession of cannabis.
Alongside the above charges, the court also took into consideration 60 other offences, including 37 further thefts from a motor vehicle, and 23 counts of vehicle interference.”
On Thursday, March 27, Priestley (46) of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 24 months in prison in connection with the breaches of his CBO, as well as had suspended sentence from a previous case activated, adding a further four months to his sentence.
The suspended sentence was passed in 2023 in Peterborough.
He has also been given a two month sentence for the theft from a motor vehicle and one week for vehicle interference, both of which are to run concurrently with his other sentences
Sgt Rhys Cordy from the Response Investigation Team (RIT) said: "A vast number of these offences were committed on unlocked cars where Mr Priestley has ‘taken a chance’ and been able to steal from them. It’s so important to lock your car when leaving it, and to keep any valuables out of sight – please try to take the time so that you don’t fall victim to crime as well. "This has been a protracted investigation over several months and I hope that the court results give those victims peace of mind. We will endeavour to prosecute every offence we can and bring offenders to justice. I’d like to take the opportunity to recognise Response Officers PC Sage and PC Young for identifying this crime series in the first instance, before handing it over to ourselves in the RIT for further investigation. The officer in charge of this case, PC Craven, has worked tirelessly on this investigation, her diligence and commitment to this case has been exemplary.”
Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector Jacky Evans added a direct thanks to the local community: “The trust and vital information provided by you has been a cornerstone in the success of this investigation. Thanks to your confidential contributions, we can continue to safeguard our coastal district from the blights of criminals who don’t hold the same values we do and live on the right side of the law. “This collaboration strengthens our efforts to keep our community safe. We urge everyone to remain engaged, respond to appeals, and speak with our officers whenever possible. Our community spirit remains resolute in identifying, charging, and prosecuting those who seek to cause us harm. “Together, we can and will make a difference. Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment."