Man sentenced for multiple offences

A man has been sentenced after admitting to multiple charges including burglary, criminal damage, and theft.

Patryk Jakubowski, of no fixed abode, appeared before Norwich Crown Court for sentencing on Monday 19 February 2024.

The 25-year-old had pleaded guilty to 16 charges and asked for two others to be taken into consideration at an earlier hearing.

He was handed 11 months' imprisonment suspended for two years, 300 hours of unpaid work, and 20 RAR (rehabilitation activity requirement) days.

Jakubowski was arrested on 4 November 2023 after a resident reported disturbing a man in her home in Reepham Road, Hellesdon. She spoke to him as he left on an orange pedal bike.

He was quickly located by officers and following a search was arrested for burglary, possession of a bladed article, possession of a controlled substance, and theft by finding - namely a debit card.

Further investigations then linked Jakubowski to a number of other burglaries and attempted burglaries in the Norwich area between February and April 2023.

In three of them officers were able to forensically examine items left at the scene and prove a DNA match.

They comprised a glove left in the garden of a property in Clarke Road on 19 February 2023, a lemonade bottle left in a house in Shipstone Road on 20 February 2023, and a hammer outside a house in Elm Grove Lane on 19 April 2023.

He was also identified by CCTV ripping a security light off a wall in Bates Green on 12 November 2023, and stealing a Ring doorbell on 16 November 2023 in Henderson Road.

He was further arrested on 6 December 2023 for the additional offences which he admitted. He was remanded in custody by Norwich Magistrates Court the following day.

The charges included three burglaries, two attempted burglaries, two counts of possession of class B amphetamine, one possession of a bladed article, three counts of theft, and five counts of criminal damage.

Items stolen included two televisions and a dvd player.

Properties were also damaged in the break-ins.

While on remand he engaged with Operation Converter admitting to two further offences relating to the theft of a pedal bike from a domestic garage in Taverham Road, and damage to a security light in St Mildrens Road – both in November 2023.

In interview Jakubowski said he had broken into homes looking for somewhere safe and warm to sleep and had not intended to steal, but had ended up doing so.

PC Samuel Hales said: “Forensic evidence proved vital in linking Jakubowski to other crimes and securing a conviction in court, and we hope this sentence gives some comfort to his victims. We understand the impact burglary has on people and we continue to thoroughly investigate such reports.”