Midlands hire car burglar is jailed for six years
A career burglar who changed his name in prison and used hire cars to burgle houses has been jailed.
Jason Hatton, previously David Hatton, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to six burglaries.
The 38-year-old had duped friends into hiring cars in their name and used them to travel to burgle properties.
An Audi he had used in a burglary in Coniston Road, Streetly, was traced to his address in Dickinson Drive in Bescot.
Hatton had also burgled homes in Compton Drive, Streetly and Liskeard Road, Walsall.
By using cars hired in other people's names Hatton believed he would never be traced.
But he did not realise that the vehicles contained tracking devices that helped officers plot his route through Walsall and Coventry.
Hatton is now starting a six-year jail term after admitting six burglaries at Leamington Justice Centre.
On July 1 Hatton smashed his way into a house on Coniston Way in Streetly and in doing so damaged the rear gate. Splinters of wood from the gate were found in the Audi placing Hatton at the scene.
Detectives began checking other known addresses for him including one at his ex-girlfriend's address in Erdington.
His ex had recently hired cars which raised the suspicions of officers and after conducting checks it was established that Hatton was driving them. An arrest sting was put together and the ex-girlfriend's address was put under surveillance by undercover police.
On July 24, Hatton was spotted by officers and his car was stopped on School Lane in Shard End. As officers opened the car door Hatton drove off dragging the officer along the road. The police helicopter and traffic officers were called in and after a short pursuit Hatton was stopped and arrested.
He had not realised trackers were fitted by the hire companies on all of the cars he had used. Officers analysed the data which placed the cars in Coventry and Walsall at the times of several burglaries.
They discovered he was also responsible for raids in Compton Drive, Streetly, on June 4 and Liskeard Road, Walsall on June 10.
During police interviews answered 'no comment' to all questions. However, damning evidence painstakingly gathered by detectives in Walsall and Coventry proved his guilt.
Detective Constable Pete Waterman, from Coventry's investigation team, said: "Hatton tried all the tricks in the book to evade arrest but we were determined to catch our man.
"He thought he was committing the perfect crimes – that by changing his name and using hire cars under different people's names would prevent him from getting caught.
We hope that the sentence offers some comfort to his victims."
