Burglar snared at Heathrow as he tries to catch Vietnam flight after Cheshire pub raid

-Credit: (Image: Cheshire Constabulary)
-Credit: (Image: Cheshire Constabulary)


A man who attempted to flee the country after burgling a pub in Winsford has been jailed. Terence John Adams appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday (September 13) where he was sentenced to six months in prison.

The 37-year-old, of Normans Lane, Whitley, Northwich, had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of burglary. The court was told that Adams had been drinking at the Top House pub on the evening of Saturday, September 7.

Shortly before leaving the premises, he went into the men’s toilets and pushed open a rear window. He returned to the pub a short time later, at 1.45am, and climbed into the building through the open window, before stealing more than £3,000 in cash.

After discovering the premises had been burgled, a member of staff reviewed CCTV footage and identified Adams as the suspect. The incident was subsequently reported to police. Following the reports, Adams was contacted by both the victim and police, and made a full admission to the burglary, stating that he would hand himself in at Northwich Police Station on Wednesday, September 11.

However, instead of travelling to Northwich he booked himself a flight to Vietnam from Heathrow Airport in a failed attempt to flee the country. Adams was subsequently arrested by officers from Cheshire Police before being transported back to Cheshire.

Following the sentencing Detective Constable Lara Hill, who led the investigation, said: "Adams had assured officers that he would hand himself in at Northwich police station, and by doing so thought that he would be able to flee to Vietnam before we would be able to locate and arrest him.

"However, through our diligent enquiries, we were quickly able to detect that he was actually intending to leave the country in an attempt to avoid justice. As a result, our officers were ready and waiting to arrest him as he approached the departure gate at Heathrow airport. So, instead of flying to Vietnam, Adams had a trip to our custody unit in Middlewich."

As well as his six months in prison for the burglary offence, Adams was also ordered to pay compensation and recalled to prison in relation to previous offences.

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