Heartless burglar stole from church and charity in spate of Northamptonshire thefts

Heartless Daniel Crawley has been jailed for stealing from a church, charity and a village football club in a spate of thefts in and around Northampton.

The Operation Crooked team at Northamptonshire Police finally connected 47-year-old Crawley with five thefts and he was sent down for six years and eight months after being convicted at Northampton Crown Court.

Crawley's targets included St Gregory's Church in Abington on July 17 last year and a Guide Dogs for the Blind collection box.

He also took war medals and jewellery from a property in Lamport.

Crawley, of no fixed abode, continued his spree after being caught red-handed taking the charity box from a B&Q store on August 13.

He also broke into the Outpost Cafe in Northampton's Bedford Road skate park on August 18 and, finally, Blisworth Football Club a month later.

Lead Investigator, PC Chris Perkins from the Northamptonshire Police Burglary Team, said: “Daniel Crawley was a prolific burglar who we were determined to catch and bring charges against.

“I am pleased to see him locked up for a significant period of time and I know that homes and businesses in Northamptonshire will be safer as a result.”

Operation Crooked is the Northamptonshire force's campaign to cut the number of burglaries in the county – a top priority for Chief Constable Nick Adderley and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold.

The Burglary Team, which sits within CID, ensures that every burglary victim in the county is guaranteed a visit from the police.

They are also working to review and drive-up the quality of investigations, manage and progress forensic hits, hunt down wanted people, organise police patrols in areas of concern and gather intelligence to prevent burglaries before they happen.