A burglar was caught for a string of offences after he left a half-eaten banana in the kitchen of a house he had burgled. Stephen Kingman, 48, of no fixed abode, was identified from DNA swabs taken from the bruised fruit which matched his profile held on the national database.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that during the early hours of March 9, 2022, a man at a house in Vista Rise, Danescourt, heard a noise coming from downstairs. He got up and heard someone going out through the front door.
The burglar had gathered multiple items including watches, aftershave, a phone, and food and drink from the kitchen, before being disturbed. Forensic analysis of a half-eaten banana found on the kitchen counter, identified Kingman as the suspect.
He was also linked to a further burglary at Heol Seddon, Llandaff on September 12, 2022 where the occupant was woken in the middle of the night and found her kitchen window open and a number of household items including food and cleaning products missing.
The items were later discovered after detectives search an address linked to Kingman. The items were examined for fingerprints and were identified as being to the 48-year-old.
.The court hearing was also told that on January 5, 2022, a suspect was seen on video doorbell footage attempting to open a car door in Everswell Road, Fairwater. Through the use of facial recognition software, Kingman was identified as the suspect.
On March 8, 2022, bank cards stolen from a house in Vista Road, Fairwater, were used at a nearby Premier Store. Officers recognised Kingman from CCTV which showed him using the stolen bank cards to buy bread, biscuits, an energy drink, and cigarettes.
Kingman was first arrested on March 19, 2022. Although initially denying all offences, he subsequently pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court on January 12, 2023 and was sentenced on February 9, 2023.
He was sentenced to 42 months in prison at Cardiff Crown Court for three counts of burglary, fraud, and interference with a motor vehicle.
Detective Constable Stephen Mayne, from South Wales Police, said: “South Wales Police will use all available technology, combined with traditional methods, to bring offenders to justice and will leave no stone unturned to identify those responsible
"We recognise that being a victim of burglary is a traumatic experience and we hope this case demonstrates the efforts we go to during our investigations.”
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