A burglar took advantage of a woman leaving her door open during the summer heatwave to steal her valuables.
The victim had just returned from work in July and propped the door of her flat open to let some air flow due to the high temperature. But while she was going about her business, her bag was stolen from the kitchen by Lee Cook and another man.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the burglary happened at Milling Court, Teams, Gateshead, on the early evening of July 20. Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, said: "Because of the heatwave at the time she left the front door open, she propped it open to let air through to ventilate the flat.
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"She went about her business and went in the bathroom. Her handbag was located on the kitchen table and the kitchen was the first room you come to when you enter the flat.
"She heard noises but put it down to people walking through the communal area. The address had been entered through the open door and her handbag taken from the kitchen table."
Her bank card was then used fraudulently three times at nearby shops to the value of £105. The victim was notified by her bank about the use of the card and she then discovered she had been burgled. Her bag also contained £120 cash and other personal items.
She said in a victim impact statement: "I no longer look forward to coming home and I feel on edge all the time. I bought headphones to block out noises from my neighbours but I don't feel safe wearing them because I want to know what's going on.
"I feel dirty knowing someone has been in the house. I work hard for my money and do four ten hour shifts and it's just not on."
Cook, 43, of Brettanby Road Felling, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to burglary and fraud. Judge Edward Bindloss said he deserved a prison sentence but that addressing his crack cocaine habit, which was the root cause of the offence, was more likely to stop him reoffending. He was sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years with a nine month drug rehabilitation requirement.
Rachel Hedworth, defending, said Cook, who claimed he waited outside while someone else went in, had been remanded in custody since mid August and added that pre-sentence reports said unpaid work would be "too onerous at this time".
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