Man caught red-handed burgling empty house in Newark
William Meakin has pleaded guilty to three burglaries and a string of other offences
A man has been caught red-handed burgling an empty house in Newark, and is now awaiting sentence for that offence along with a string of others.
Nottinghamshire Police said neighbourhood officers were called to Yorke Drive, Newark, after a burglary was reported in progress at an empty house.
32-year-old William Meakin was responsible, police said, having broken in intending to steal an immersion heater and copper piping.
The call came in at around 2:40pm on Saturday 10th October, with officers arriving minutes later to interrupt the burglary, according to police.
Officers found piles of piping on the landing and the heater downstairs near a broken window, and police said Meakin was located nearby shortly afterwards.
He was arrested and charged in connection with that break-in, along with a series of other offences police said he had committed previously.
Earlier burglaries
These included two burglaries at Newark College on Friary Road, which took place on 30th June and 6th July, police said.
On both occasions, Meakin is said to have entered the premises and taken power tools worth hundreds of pounds each time.
Police said he then tried to sell the stolen items at a nearby shop after both burglaries.
Officers linked Meakin to both incidents after reviewing in-store CCTV and recognising him at the counter, according to police.
Following his arrest over the weekend, Meakin was charged with three counts of burglary and two counts of fraud by false representation.
He was also charged separately with theft from a vehicle, taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, and driving offences.
Meakin, of Gainsborough Road, Newark, attended Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Monday 12th October, where he pleaded guilty to each of the offences.
He will be sentenced at the same court on 13th November, and has been released on conditional bail until then.
Police reaction
Inspector Charlotte Ellam, District Commander for Newark and Sherwood, said: "By responding to this burglary call as quickly as they did, our officers were effectively able to catch William Meakin red-handed.
"He had already committed two other break-ins and been involved in further thefts when he tried to steal again over the weekend.
"As I say, thanks to the actions of our neighbourhood policing team, those attempts were unsuccessful and he was stopped in his tracks.
"Not only that, he has now been charged and is awaiting sentence for that burglary and a series of other offences too, which is really pleasing to see," Inspector Ellam said.