Burglar stole jewellery from unlocked Newark home and flogged it for £700 at pawn shop

Cliff Bunch is behind bars after being caught
-Credit:Nottinghamshire Police


A burglar took advantage of an unlocked patio door to sneak into a house and steal jewellery. Nottingham Crown Court heard how heavily-convicted Cliff Bunch’s crime left the victim feeling "really scared” after he’d left the door open so his dog could go in and out of the garden while he was away from the property.

After getting in and out of the address, the 29-year-old defendant, who has 27 previous court appearances to his name, immediately sold what he had stolen to a pawn shop. But he was recognised by a neighbour of the victim on CCTV, arrested and charged.

Jailing Bunch, of Newark, for two years and seven months, Judge Nirmal Shant KC said: “On your account, you went to speak to someone you knew and took the opportunity of the open door to burgle the house. The victim was left scared and greatly upset that his property was taken from him which was given to him by his mother and which you sold on.”

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Raglan Ashton, prosecuting, said the burglary took place in Yorke Drive, Newark, on October 10, last year. He said the victim had left his patio door open so his dog could use the garden and his partner returned home around 1pm and found that a gold bracelet and ring were missing from a TV unit in their bedroom.

The prosecutor said: “CCTV was recovered from a neighbour's property and what it showed was Mr Bunch entering the garden, lingering by the back door and shouting ‘Leon’ which is not the name of the occupants.

“He went in through the patio door at 12.34pm and left the property shortly after 1pm. Throughout the incident his face was not covered and he was recognised by a neighbour from the CCTV footage. A pawn shop was visited and the shop confirmed it bought the items for £700.”

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Mr Ashton read out a victim impact statement. In it he said: “I was left feeling really scared that people are willing to walk into my home. I know I left the door open for the dog but I can’t believe someone would have done this.”

Bunch, formerly of Strawberry Hill Lane, Newark and currently of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to burglary. He has 27 previous convictions for 44 offences.

Jabeen Akhtar, mitigating, said her client began offending “very young at the age of 12 or 13” following “ difficult childhood”. She said on the day in question he had not gone to the property with the intention of burgling it but saw the door was open.

Miss Akhtar said: “This is a man who has had long-standing problems with his mental health and has never had the proper help he requires.”