Burglar arrested at airport after DNA linked him to break-in
A criminal has been jailed after his DNA linked him to a daylight burglary where belongings worth more than £10,000 were stolen.
Money, clothes, electronic tablets, cigarettes and jewellery were among the items which disappeared from the address in Smethwick which was broken into shortly after 3pm on March 2 last year.
The man responsible, 31-year-old Ionut Dobre, broke in by smashing a window. H then left the country and was arrested on his return.
West Midlands Police said he was identified when forensic officers attended the scene and took swabs of blood left on a shard of glass from the broken window. When the swabs were analysed DNA found was matched to Dobre.
After attempting to evade police Dobre was then arrested at Luton Airport on his arrival last month. He was subsequently charged with burglary and remanded in custody.
Dobre, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on January 24 when he was jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to burglary at an earlier hearing.
DI Phil Griffiths, from Sandwell Police, said: “Dobre committed a very serious offence and stole valuable items from an innocent member of the public. He then tried to abscond from police, but we caught up with him.
“No one should feel unsafe in their home and we are doing all we can to bring offenders to justice.”
The force said tackling residential burglary remains a priority for West Midlands Police with regular patrols and disruption activity carried out daily by officers.
It said householders can take steps to protect homes and possessions including keeping doors and windows locked even when indoors.
The force said burglars targeted dwellings that appear to be empty or have easy access to the back of the building.
