A clumsy jewellery thief has been apprehended by police after officers spotted him brazenly wearing a stolen watch from a £10,000 raid on a store. The incident unfolded in Sutton-in-Ashfield, where the thief's careless actions led to his swift capture.
CCTV Captures Smash-and-Grab Burglary
CCTV footage reveals Kieron Millin, 43, smashing his way into a store on Market Street in Sutton-in-Ashfield. In under a minute, he managed to swipe thousands of pounds worth of jewellery and watches. After shattering a window, the crook pushed over a display case and snatched the valuable items inside, which were scattered among the damage.
Awkward Escape Attempt
The thief, wearing a scarf around his face, fled out of the broken window but not before dropping a stolen item and falling after it. In a further clumsy move, Millin launched the stolen item out of the smashed window before awkwardly reattempting his escape on foot. This all occurred in the early hours of February 12 this year.
Police Identify and Detain Suspect
Local police quickly identified Millin from the CCTV footage due to previous dealings with him. Officers noticed he was wearing the same clothes as on the night of the incident and, most incriminatingly, had a stolen watch adorning his wrist. PC Dean Fenton of Nottinghamshire Police's county priority tasking team commented on the swift response.
PC Fenton stated: 'Our officers were quickly able to identify Millin from the CCTV of this break-in, due to our various dealings with him in the past. Armed with this information, it thankfully didn't then take us long to detain him after spotting him out and about in the community.'
Evidence Leads to Confession
When stopped by police, Millin initially denied any involvement, responding with 'what burglary' as officers searched him. However, the search revealed multiple items of jewellery in his pockets, and bodycam footage captured him wearing the stolen watches. Faced with overwhelming evidence, Millin had no choice but to confess.
PC Fenton added: 'Due to the speed of this response, we actually found him with some of the stolen valuables still in his possession, while he also had the same clothing on too. Despite initially denying knowing anything about a burglary when we stopped him, the strength of the evidence against him meant he had no choice but to admit what he'd done.'
Court Appearance and Admission
Millin appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court last Friday, where he confessed to burglary. The case highlights the effectiveness of police work in linking past interactions with current evidence to solve crimes quickly. The stolen items, valued at around £10,000, were recovered thanks to the prompt action of officers.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of surveillance and community policing in tackling theft and burglary. The thief's lack of discretion, wearing stolen goods in plain sight, ultimately led to his downfall and justice being served.
