‘Brazen’ Havant thief Lucas Beau Corke jailed for 54 months after pleading guilty to burglary and fraud

Lucas Beau Corke, aged 45, of Barncroft Way, was charged with a series of offences including burglary and fraud.

Corke pleaded guilty to all of the offences, and has been jailed for four and a half years after appearing at Southampton Crown Court on Monday.

He was charged with a number of offences which took place between December 2019 and September 2021.

These include theft from motor vehicle after a bag and wallet containing cash and bank cards were stolen from a car parked along Ryde sea front, and burglary at Seaview Yacht Club and the Aspire building on Dover Street, Ryde.

Wallets containing cash and bank cards were later stolen from an address on Bouldnor Road, Yarmouth, and handbags containing bank cards were taken during a burglary at the Osborne View Hotel in Hill Head.

On the occasions in which bank cards were stolen this year, Corke used these cards to buy goods from shops and bars in Gosport and on the Isle of Wight, for which he was charged with seven counts of fraud by false representation.

Corke used the cards in a number of places, including Bayside Cabin and Pebble’s Wine Bar on Stokes Road in Gosport and The Star Pub on Gosport High Street on September 8.

PC Nickie Moreton, from the Isle of Wight Investigation Team, said: ‘Corke’s offending in this case was brazen, often walking into premises and stealing goods in daylight hours whilst people were nearby.

‘Unfortunately for him, a thorough investigation involving the review of CCTV, financial enquiries and identifying witnesses enabled us to place Corke at the scene of each of these crimes.

‘I’m pleased that he has now been brought to justice for these incidents, and I hope this reassures the public that we will follow every line of enquiry possible to capture those who offend in this way.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can now subscribe here for unlimited access to our online coverage, including Pompey, for 26p a day.