Repeat Burglar Johnny Connors Jailed for 5½ Years After Knife Threat and Raids Across Medway and Gravesend
Knife Threat During Home Invasion
Johnny Connors, 25, a repeat burglar with no fixed address, has been locked up for five and a half years. His reign of terror hit Medway and Gravesend during June and July 2019.
During one chilling break-in, Connors threatened a woman with a knife and shoved a pillow over her head while holding her down. The victim was left terrified in her own home.
Multiple Burglaries in a 90-Minute Crime Spree
Connors and two unknown accomplices pulled off two burglaries within 90 minutes on 20 June 2019. At 5pm, they stole jewellery and cash from a house in Temple Gardens, Strood, when it was empty.
Later that evening, they struck again in Walderslade Road, Chatham. The woman inside thought the intruders were relatives and went downstairs. Instead, Connors forced her back to her bedroom, threatened her with a knife, and pinned her down while his accomplices ransacked the house, stealing jewellery including a diamond engagement ring.
CCTV and Forensic Evidence Seal the Deal
Private CCTV footage placed Connors at both crime scenes, although the other two burglars remain at large. Further offences followed, including a July 13 raid on a home in Valley Drive, Gravesend, where a large haul of jewellery and cash was taken.
Connors was tied to the Gravesend offence through a glove print found on a plastic tub inside a drawer.
Police Praise Sentence After Harrowing Attacks
Detective Constable Dan Bister of kent-police/" title="Kent Police" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Kent Police said: “Connors is one of three men who subjected a completely innocent woman to a terrifying ordeal inside her own home. The attack was cowardly and understandably left her in fear of her life.”
“The other two incidents, which saw more than £10,000 in property stolen, further emphasise his bad character. I have no doubt he’d still be offending if he were on the streets today.”
“His sentence is a strong message to offenders and a relief for anyone living in North Kent.”
Connors was convicted at Maidstone Crown Court on 20 November 2020, including offences dealt with in Essex, and sentenced for a series of burglaries spanning multiple counties.
