Teen jailed after stealing BMW and PlayStation in Exeter burglary
The 19-year-old has been sentenced to 15 months after breaking into family home while victims slept
A teenager has been sentenced to 15 months in a young offenders’ institution after breaking into a home in Exeter and stealing a BMW, PlayStation 5, and several personal belongings.
Alfie Curtis, 19, of Windermere Close, Exeter, appeared at Exeter Crown Court on Monday 14 July, where he pleaded guilty to burglary.
The court heard that in January 2024, Curtis entered a property on Exwick Road through unlocked patio doors while the occupants were asleep. A woman later woke to find her BMW missing from where it had been parked. After checking the flat, she discovered that her bag had been tampered with and that car keys, bank cards, important documents, and a PlayStation 5 had all been stolen.
The stolen BMW was recovered more than a week later in Stoke Canon. Forensic examination linked Curtis to the scene after his DNA was found on a bag inside the property. He was later arrested. CCTV footage confirmed a person entering the premises at around 2.50am and driving away in the car at 3.32am.
Detective Constable Margarita Amelcenko who is from Devon and Cornwall Police and led the investigation, said:
“This crime has had a severe psychological effect on the victims, who were left terrified by what happened.
“Curtis not only stole the victim’s car and belongings – he also stole a sense of safety and security that one usually feels when in their own home. This sense of safety and security has been lost due to this burglary.”
She added:
“As a force we have been working hard to tackle this type of offending. If you have been the victim of a burglary, please call us on 101 or visit our website – or call 999 if the offence is ongoing.
“We will thoroughly investigate all such reports made to us. We would like to remind homeowners to secure their property at night and keep keys away from the door to try and deter offenders such as Alfie Curtis.”