A Thanet burglar who targeted garden sheds and cars has been jailed.
Harry Holden was repeatedly seen in back gardens in Margate and Ramsgate and on one occasion stole a victim’s car keys.
The 34-year-old admitted a series of offences and was given a 12-month sentence at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, October 22.
Holden was seen by residents with a large knife in the garden of a woman on Ramsgate Road, Margate on Monday, August 31. He left the garden after being spotted but the resident found the lock had been broken off of her shed.
Holden was then seen in the garden of another homeowner nearby and again left the scene. This time he took a set of car keys from the property but did not steal the car.
Holden was arrested on October 12 after he was seen in gardens and looking into cars in Clements Road, Ramsgate.
He was stopped by police and found to be in possession of a torch, a multi-tool and an extendable magnet.
Officers bailed him while his activities were investigated, but he was arrested three days later after breaking into a car, again in Clements Road, Ramsgate.
Police attended and arrested Holden, who was found to be in possession of class A drugs.
Holden, of Clements Road, was charged with vehicle interference, possession of amphetamine, theft of the car keys, going equipped to steal and attempted burglary, charges he later admitted.
PC David Appleford, Kent Police’s investigating officer, said: “Holden is a persistent thief whose offending would have caused great distress to Thanet residents who saw him in their gardens.
“I am pleased that the evidence gathered in this quick investigation left him with no choice but to plead guilty and that he is now in prison and will be unable to trouble local residents for some months.”
