Hunt for Rowley Regis man on run from open prison

Police are hunting a man who is on the run after absconding from an open prison.

Gary Grove, from Rowley Regis, was jailed for four years in August last year after carrying out a burglary at the home of a pensioner armed with a hammer.

The 20-year-old was transferred to HMP Thorn Cross open prison in Warrington in September this year and absconded on November 19.

Police said he has links throughout the Black Country, specifically Sandwell, Dudley, Lye, Merry Hill shopping centre and Wombourne.

Grove, from Portway Road, took a cocktail of drink and drugs before donning a mask and breaking into the semi-detached house on July 23 last year.

The then 18-year-old woke the pensioner and told him: "I am here to burgle you. If you give me some money and jewellery I will go." Grove threatened the 70-year-old man, raising the hammer over his head, and then pocketed a "significant" amount of jewellery.

At the time of the raid the pensioner's son, who was ill at the time, pretended to be asleep but was able to make a mobile call for help.

When Grove left the house he was quickly arrested by police officers.

Sentencing Grove at Wolverhampton Crown Court in August last year, Judge Michael Challinor said the harm he had done to his victim had been "very considerable" because the man no longer felt safe in his own home.

Grove admitted burglary and he also asked for five other raids committed in the area to be taken into consideration.

Mr Rashad Mohammed, defending, told the court that Grove, who had a number of previous convictions for burglary, had been addicted to Class A drugs for some time. He said he had little recollection of the July 23 raid because of the state he was in, but said that when Grove realised what he had done he was totally ashamed.

Grove is described as white, 6ft 2ins tall of medium build with short blonde hair and blue eyes.

Police have now urged him to hand himself in at his nearest police station.

Anyone with information about Grove, or who sees a man matching his description, is asked not to approach him but to call police on 999.