Man Jailed for Series of Burglaries in Southampton

A 31 year old man named William Stait has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to a series of burglaries in Southampton. The sentence was handed down by the Southampton Crown Court on 16 March.

Stait, who had no fixed abode, committed the burglaries between October and December of last year. He targeted both residential and commercial premises, stealing items worth thousands of pounds.

On 14 October, he broke into the Red Funnel ferry offices in Bugle Street by entering through an unlocked window. He stole phones, tablets, headsets, and laptops worth £9,500. Two days later, he stole a pedal cycle worth £200 from a hostel in Brookvale Road.

Stait’s fingerprints were found at both crime scenes. On 25 October, he entered a student accommodation block in West Street and stole two new vacuum cleaners worth £160 from the communal area. Finally, on 3 December, he broke into a home in Broad Green, Southampton while the occupants were sleeping and stole tools and work equipment.

Stait’s fingerprints were found at this scene as well. Following his guilty plea, he was handed an 18-month prison sentence. DS Simon Price, who is from Operation Hawk, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist team to tackle burglary series, said that Stait’s imprisonment had made Southampton a safer place.

He also urged the public to continue to report information to the police to help bring offenders to justice. Burglary can have a devastating impact on victims, and the police are committed to doing everything they can to catch those responsible.