GUILDFORD

Tristram Spencer, 35, of Watney Close, Purley, appeared in Guildford Crown Court on Friday (10 June) after pleading guilty to a number of charges.

Officers were called to a residential address in Diceland Road in Banstead following reports of a Burglary on Friday, 15 January 2021, and an investigation was launched. When the victims returned home, they discovered their Jaguar XFR had been stolen from the driveway. When they returned home, they discovered that the back patio doors had been smashed and that several items had been stolen, including a TV, car keys, an Xbox, a Playstation, and a drone, as well as luxury watches. While the victims were on the phone with police, another vehicle in which they had returned home was stolen. An initial search for both stolen vehicles was carried out, but neither was located.

Officers, including those at crime scenes Officers arrived at the scene to conduct investigations, including taking swabs of blood left on a door handle at the address. Further CCTV investigations in the weeks that followed outlined the events leading up to the burglary and showed Spencer driving to and from the scene, blazingly returning after the initial burglary to steal the victims' second vehicle.

Spencer was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, and driving offences on February 1, 2021. He was initially released on bail before being charged with these offences in August 2021 and awaiting trial.

Spencer came to officers' attention again on Wednesday, 16 February 2022, while awaiting trial, following a Burglary in Fetcham. When the victim returned home to School Lane, he discovered that his rear patio doors had been smashed and that several items, including car keys, jewellery, sunglasses, and a designer bag, had been stolen. In similar circumstances to the Banstead offences, the victim witnessed his BMW being driven away from his driveway while on the phone with the police after returning home to the devastation left by the burglary.

Fortunately, the victim had attached a tracker tag to the stolen set of car keys, which provided police with a live location. Officers discovered that the keys had come to a halt at an address in Beckenham. Spencer was seen inside the property when officers arrived and matched the description of the suspect given by witnesses. Spencer made a number of significant comments to officers after being arrested, including "Do you want to retrieve their car?"

Officers discovered and seized numerous stolen items during their search of this address, including jewellery, the BMW key, and even post addressed to the victim of the Fetcham burglary. The victim's vehicle was discovered the next day, parked near his home address.

Spencer was charged with a second Burglary and Theft of Motor Vehicle and remanded in custody. Spencer admitted to being involved in two additional burglaries in Cobham and Slough during court proceedings, which were factored into his sentence.

Judge Rufus Taylor sentenced Spencer to seven years in prison for all charges on Friday (10 June) at Guildford Crown Court.

"Spencer is the definition of a career criminal, with no remorse for his victims," said investigating officer PC Joseph Brown. After wreaking havoc on the victims' homes, he would boldly return while the victims were reporting the crimes to steal what could only be described as their last financial asset from under their noses.

"He would travel to Surrey and Berkshire, specifically targeting properties, breaking into people's homes, and stealing anything of value." Despite being given an opportunity by the courts to consider the crimes he committed in Banstead, he continued to offend, demonstrating total disregard for the judicial system and the victims.

"This was a thorough investigation that resulted in a substantial sentence, which means a prolific burglar is no longer on the streets."

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank colleagues and, in particular, members of the public who came forward to provide us with vital information and CCTV that proved crucial in this case, leaving Spencer with no choice but to plead guilty to his crimes."