Serial West Midlands burglar caught out by envelope fingerprint
A serial burglar has been locked up for more than five years after being linked to a string of break-ins by his fingerprint.
Stephen Honnor, aged 38, broke into five homes in the Moseley and Kings Heath areas of Birmingham in a four-week period last autumn, often getting in through unsecured windows.
Bank cards, jewellery and electrical goods were taken while sometimes muddy footprints were left behind and at one scene a fingerprint was found on an envelope on a kitchen table.
Forensic testing showed that it belonged to Honnor and while out on patrol, a police officer spotted him and he was arrested on November 14.
Footage from one of the break-ins also showed the burglar wearing a distinctive checked scarf, three-coloured hooded top and a baseball cap with a logo.
These were later found during a search of Honnor's home in Sandford Road, Birmingham, and he admitted in a police interview that they were his.
Further CCTV footage also showed him using a stolen bank card at a shop in Moseley.
While he was in custody he became abusive and started shouting at custody officers before spitting at one through the hatch in the cell door.
Honnor pleaded guilty to five burglary offences, one count of fraud and one count of assaulting an emergency worker and was jailed for five years and three months at Birmingham Crown Court on March 17.
Pc Mike Rodenas, from West Midlands Police's force CID, said: "Having your home broken into, your personal belongings searched through and items of value stolen, is upsetting and traumatic.
"But we will always work to bring these criminals to justice and hope that this jail term serves as some comfort to Honnor's victims."
The break-ins took place in October and November last year.
