Man who was apprehended by police dog and his handler jailed after admitting burglary offences in Northumberland

In January, three burglaries were reported to police within 24 hours by concerned residents in Darras Hall after a hooded man entered several addresses and stole a range of valuables.

Officers were deployed to the properties and, following a short pursuit by Chief and his handler, Liam Curry, 27, was traced to a clump of shrubs Runnymede Road.

Chief also unearthed a holdall of items stolen from residents which the burglar had dropped en route – including a laptop, a tablet, a gold bracelet, cash and bank cards. They were the same items which had been reported stolen earlier in the evening, and linked Curry to the crimes.

Subsequently, he was arrested and then later charged with two counts of burglary and one count of attempted burglary.

Curry, of Melbourne Court, Gateshead, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he admitted the offences.

And on Thursday Curry attended the same court where he was sentenced to two years imprisonment and ordered to pay compensation to the victims.

In charge of the investigation was Detective Constable Phil Nelson, of Northumbria Police, who said in response to the verdict: “The positive result in apprehending Curry is thanks to excellent teamwork between our officers and police dog Chief, who has certainly shown how invaluable the four-legged members of our force are.

“Curry clearly thought he was able to dodge being caught by hiding in the shrubs, however his luck quickly ran out and he was swiftly arrested.

“Following a thorough and swift investigation, we were able to present the CPS with solid evidence which resulted in Curry being left with no other option but to plead guilty.

“We hope this sentence reassures Darras Hall residents of our commitment to keeping the area safe and thanks to a speedy response by all involved, the offender was detained and the valuables returned to their rightful owners.

“We would continue to ask the public to report any suspicious behaviour to us, and to continue to work with them to help reduce the impact burglary can have by ensuring doors, windows and properties are kept secure and valuables out of view.”