Portsmouth burglar targeted elderly victim's homes in the Fareham area stealing jewellery at height of lockdown

Andrew Smith ‘deliberately targeted’ houses he thought would yield the greatest illicit reward and older residents, searching through their bedrooms.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard the 34-year-old sometimes sneaked through side doors when the occupants were in the garden, plundering engagement rings, a purse and a ‘significant amount of jewellery’.

Smith, who has been institutionalised since the age of 16, struck at seven homes between April 10 and 19 this year, just weeks into the initial strict Covid-19 lockdown.

One woman ‘had a complete meltdown and felt suicidal as a result of the burglary,’ her husband said in a statement. Their sons were left devastated and furious. One son posted on social media, prompting a big reaction that helped identify Smith.

Another victim said: ‘The theft of my very personal and sentimental items has robbed me of significant long-held parts of my life.’

She lost her engagement ring bought 56 years ago, a signet ring she received on her 21st birthday and her mother’s 22ct gold ring, prosecutor Pierce Power said.

Smith struck in St John's Road in Fareham on April 10, hours later burgling a home in Warsash Road, Locks Heath, the same day.

On April 12 he burgled a house in Alum Way, Portchester, and then in Brook Lane, Sarisbury Green.

Three other homes were targeted April 18-19, and Smith broke into a car stealing items from inside. Those four offences were taken into consideration.

Investigating officer PC Charlotte Pocock said: ‘Smith caused misery to his victims.’

Bridget O’Hagan, mitigating, gave an impassioned plea detailing the ‘heartbreaking’ circumstances of lockdown meant Smith lost an apprenticeship and college course when lockdown struck - halting his attempts at rehabilitation after his last jail term.

But judge Hetherington said while the lockdown was the ‘backdrop’ to his crimes and it ‘may have acted as a trigger’ he added: ‘I wish to make it absolutely clear that it provides no excuse for what you did.

‘In many respects the fact that these offences were committed at the height of the lockdown restrictions only goes to exacerbate the offending rather than to mitigate it from your point of view.’

Judge Hetherington said the crimes were ‘not impulsive’ as Smith used a motor vehicle in each ‘at a time when there could have been few other vehicles on the road’.

He added: ‘You plainly deliberately targeted addresses which you thought would be productive of jewellery and other valuable items, and it seems targeted premises where the occupants were or were likely to be elderly.’

Smith had a ‘dreadful’ record, the judge said, having been repeatedly jailed for burglary including for six years in 2011, 15 months in 2015 and five years in 2016.

Smith, of Goldsmith Avenue in Milton, was jailed for 56 months after admitting four charges of burglary, and having five offences taken into consideration.

Ms O’Hagan said her client is ‘remorseful and is very ashamed’ and only started stealing as he could not afford to eat and did not want to be ‘poncing’ off his new girlfriend, a mum of three children.

He bought drugs sold to him as valium to help him sleep but instead ‘went mad’ committing the burglaries and ‘has very little recollection’, of them, she said.

In a statement, PC Pocock, from the Operation Hawk burglary team, said: ‘Smith caused misery to his victims, invading their homes and taking their belongings.

‘No-one should have to experience that, and I am pleased that we have been able to bring this to a swift conclusion for those who have suffered because of him.

‘I want to thank the many witnesses who came forward and helped the police bring this man to justice.’

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