Police charge man in connection with burglaries in Blyth

Following a spate of burglaries in Blyth earlier this month, a 33-year-old man was identified by officers as their prime suspect.

The man was thought to be evading police for a number of weeks, despite knowing he was wanted in connection with the burglaries, as well as a range of other offences including assault.

With the net tightening, a concerned member of the local community contacted police to say they believed they had seen the suspect nearby.

Officers from the Blyth Neighbourhood Policing Team were already nearby and quickly identified the man, who attempted to make off on foot. However, within minutes, he was successfully detained and brought into custody.

He has since been charged with three counts of burglary, two counts of common assault and criminal damage. He is due to appear at Newcastle Crown Court next month.

Inspector Jonathan Caisley, of Northumbria Police, said: “This suspect has tried to stay under the radar for a number of weeks, moving between houses and living a transient lifestyle.

“But thanks for the assistance of our diligent community and their fantastic relationships with our officers, he has now been located and will appear before the courts.

“This is a fantastic example of how our neighbourhood patrols are so important as our officers were in a prime position to act quickly upon the community intelligence – and swiftly locate their suspect.

“We are absolutely delighted that he has now been charged with a number of offences, and has been remanded in custody until his day in court.

“I would like to thank all those who assisted in helping us to locate and detain him, and we will continue to work hand-in-hand with the public to ensure this region remains a safe place to live and work.”

If you have any information about criminality in your area, please report it via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of Northumbria Police’s website. Alternatively, you can pass on information to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.