Burglar locked up for crime spree

A burglar who left a pensioner terrified when she saw him climbing her stairs during a spree of nine break-ins around the Black Country has been locked up for four years.

Jamie Wade smashed or sneaked his way into houses to steal jewellery, phones and cash leaving his victims "scared, disturbed and paranoid".

The 20-year-old was carrying out a community order which was given to him by a court at the time of his two month crime wave around the Dudley and Sandwell areas.

Victims included a 76-year-old victim who found him climbing her stairs in the middle of the night, and a 39-year-old man who was woken to see Wade shining a torch in his face.

Recorder Jason MacAdam told Wade: "That burglary spree has impacted on a number of people's lives.

"Every one of us can only begin to imagine what it must be like to be woken in the night in what people consider to be the safety of their home and find someone at the end of the bed.

"If it's a vulnerable 76-year-old women, then it becomes more serious."

Wade was caught after leaving a trail of blood at the scene of his final burglary. He was then driven around the streets of the region by police as he pointed out houses he had broken into.

Wade, of Thompson House, Ocker Hill Road, Tipton, has a three-year-old daughter and a son aged one month.

He admitted eight burglaries and stealing from a Peugeot after using a brick to smash its window.

Mr Julian Harris, defending, said Wade had had a troubled upbringing and had stolen to sustain himself.

In 2008, Wade admitted two burglaries and a theft charge and another of theft and asked for two other offences to be taken into consideration, including a raid on the Brookwood Animal Sanctuary in Dudley.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard at the time that he broke into one house in Dudley where he stole tools valued at £1,900 and a games console from a second property.

He had been battling drink and drug addictions at the time.

These are the victims of Jamie Wade's burglary spree, and what he took from them:

* August 25 — Love Lane, Stourbridge. The 56-year-old victim went to bed at 11.30pm and woke up at 7.30am to find she had been burgled. Wade had climbed through an open kitchen window and stolen her mobile phone, spare car keys, watch and two rings with a combined value of £1,200

* August 30 — Compton Grange, Cradley Heath. A 58-year-old woman was looking after a friend who lived at the house. She left her handbag by an open window and Wade reached in overnight and stole it. It was found in a nearby bush but £65 had been taken from the purse along with keys. The victim said she was left "shaken and scared".

* August 30 — Dudley Road East, Tividale. Wade entered through a patio door which may have been unlocked before stealing cigarettes and £2 from the victim, a 34-year-old woman, as she slept.

* September 7 — Station Street, Cradley Heath. The 39-year-old victim was woken up at 4.10am by a noise and saw a torch shining into his face through his open bedroom door. When Wade realised the house was occupied, he fled.

He had clambered in through an unlocked window and taken a mobile phone and cigarettes. The victim now feels "paranoid" about security and double checks that he has locked his windows and doors. He feels the fact he was in bed at the time is the "most disturbing" part of the case.

* October 16 — Park Road, Netherton. Wade smashed a window at the property, which was empty at the time, and stole a PlayStation, games and DVDs.

* October 29 — The 76-year-old victim from Tipton was in bed at around 10pm when she heard a noise and saw Wade walking up her stairs. He had stolen a crowbar from her shed to force his way in through the kitchen window. He stole a 19in TV, nine watches and jewellery and the victim felt "distressed, upset and vulnerable."

* October 29 — Leabrook House Nursing Home, Leabrook Road, Ocker Hill. Wade broke in through a window and stole a TV, toiletries, clothing and shoes from a disabled resident. The victim is said to still be "unaware" that he had been burgled, but a carer said the burglary had deprived him of "basic pleasures, particularly his TV".

* October 30 — Burkitt Drive, Tipton. The victim was on holiday when Wade smashed a rear patio window just after midnight and left the house in disarray as he stole a TV, mobile phone and jewellery. He left a trail of blood, leading to his arrest.