Getting burgled is every homeowner's worst nightmare that can leave people thousands of pounds out of pocket.
Burglary is rife across the county and unfortunately, the North East is no different with many people falling victim to these criminals.
From heartless thieves stealing from vulnerable pensioners to smash and grab burglars, we've compiled a list of some of the faces households across the North East should look out for.
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These are the faces of brazen burglars who have been in court recently for targeting homes across the North East.
Shaun Potter
Shaun Potter covered Emma Thompson's living room in tomato sauce completely covering the door, ceiling, sofas and mirror.
During the bizarre burglary, Potter also drank wine from the fridge and left the victim so distressed and scared by the unprovoked attack that she had to move house.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how Potter went to visit his ex and children in June last year but they weren't in so he decided to break into her neighbour Miss Thompson's unlocked house while drunk.
Recorder Mark Giuliani said the break-in was "bizarre behaviour" but despite a pre-sentence report saying there was a relatively high risk of Potter offending again, told him: "You have said you want to change and this is your opportunity to change."
Potter, 32, of Cowpen Road, Blyth, was sentenced to a two-year community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.
Claire McCready
Despite stealing "irreplaceable" sentimental photographs and cash from a pensioner in his 70s as he dozed, Claire McCready walked free from court.
She was with a man when they stole his wallet but the pair were seen by a neighbour running away on Carlisle Place, Gateshead, on the evening of June 12 last year.
A statement from the victim read out at Newcastle Crown Court said: "Since the burglary, I've felt unsafe and found myself locking the door while I'm at home.
"I hope justice is done and feel the person responsible targeted me in my own home because I'm elderly and vulnerable."
McCready, 40, of Kendal Crescent, Beacon Lough, Gateshead, who has 16 previous convictions, but had been out of trouble for a long time, pleaded guilty to burglary.
She was sentenced to two years suspended for two years with a lifelong restraining order.
Robert Charles Smith
This smash and grab burglar threatened a Heaton resident with a metal pole before demanding he hand over cash and gold.
When the victim refused to hand anything over, Robert Charles Smith swiped a rucksack containing a laptop and stole a bike and fled the scene.
Officers were deployed to the area and it wasn’t long before they found Smith on Simonside Terrace, carrying the stolen bag.
The 38-year-old, of no fixed abode, admitted aggravated burglary and was sentenced to a total of four years behind bars.
Colin Quinn
Colin Quinn swiped a purse with £1,000 in cash from the County Durham home of an elderly woman who suffers from dementia on January 23.
Due to her condition, the victim only realised her purse was missing from her home in West Street, Ferryhill days later, and Quinn was finally caught after her nephew reviewed her CCTV.
In a victim statement, the woman's nephew said the burglary had "devastated" him as he was "unable to prevent it".
He said the home is occupied by "two elderly, sick ladies who require almost full-time care", and that he was "sick to death".
The 41-year-old appeared at Durham Crown Court and pleaded guilty to burglary and was jailed for 32 months.
Susan Rigg
Susan Rigg, who also goes by the name 'Gypsy Star', was in court recently after pleading guilty to breach of a suspended sentence, burglary, and assaulting an emergency worker.
After failing to turn up to a probation appointment on November 17, Rigg breached her order a second time by violently assaulting a female police officer by biting her thumb.
She was also sentenced for a burglary she carried out on November 8, 2020, when she went to a Leeds apartment block and stole two parcels belonging to two residents.
Sentencing Rigg, of Galsworthy Road, South Shields, Judge Ray Singh said her life had been "completely derailed in your late 60s" and jailed her for 10 months.
"Please behave yourself from here on in", he added.
Jeffrey Stoker
This career criminal was on licence from prison when he discharged himself from hospital and immediately tried to burgle two homes in Cramlington, Northumberland, having been locked up for similar offending last year.
Jeffrey Stoker, 34, formerly of Blyth but now of Shafto Street, in Scotswood, Newcastle, was caught when one of the victims was told by his daughter that a man had been in their garden and he checked his CCTV.
Footage showed the career criminal trying the back doors of the man's home, as well as his neighbour's, magistrates were told.
Stoker, who has 89 offences on his record, including 52 for theft or similar and 13 for dwelling house burglaries, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted dwelling house burglary.
Magistrates deemed their powers to finalise the case were insufficient and committed Stoker to Newcastle Crown Court, where he will appear on March 29. He was remanded in custody.
Daniel Sullivan
Daniel Sullivan was jailed for 14 years after walking into the home of an 84-year-old man and shooting as he tried to fend him off with a mop.
The balaclava-clad raider walked into the pensioner's home wearing black clothes, carrying a gun, and demanding £100 but when the victim refused opened fire with a BB gun, hitting the pensioner three times.
Following the attack, the victim said he no longer likes to go out or visit the social club like he used to and said some of the pellets will remain embedded in his body for the rest of his life.
The 32-year-old of no fixed address was found guilty of aggravated burglary, wounding with intent, and possessing a firearm following a trial, after DNA linked him to the scene of the crime in South Shields, in January 2020.
He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent and ammunition while prohibited.
Sullivan, who has previous for robbery and violence, previously pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent and ammunition while prohibited.
Elliott Bowery
Elliott Bowery swiped a woman's Valentino bag from her bedroom via an open window at a terraced property on Gilesgate in Durham and went on to use her bank card in McDonald's.
The 26-year-old, who is a third-strike burglar, was caught after police recognised him from CCTV footage.
He appeared at Durham Crown Court via a link from HMP Holme House, to be sentenced for burglary and three counts of fraud which were committed between October 1 and 2, last year.
In a victim impact statement, the student said the incident had left her feeling "paranoid and scared"
Bowery of Sharp Crescent, Durham was jailed for 30 months.
