Brave actions of quick-thinking passer-by helps police snare burglar of Histon and Cambridge homes

A burglar has been jailed after a passer-by took photos of him and called police.

Patrick Wall, 28, broke into a house in Clay Street, Histon, at about 7pm on 21 September by smashing a window.

He searched a bedroom but as he was leaving, empty-handed, a passer-by heard the house alarm and saw the intruder walking along the driveway.

He took photos of the burglar, followed him along Winders Lane and called police.

Wall, of no fixed address, drove off in a silver Ford Focus while an unidentified man, seen by the car with Wall, walked off towards Cottenham Road.

The passer-by noted down Ford’s number plate and it was located in Harrow, London, two days later and seized.

A black jacket, similar to one Wall was wearing in the photographs, was also found in the car.

Wall was arrested at a house in Molewood Close, Arbury, Cambridge, on 25 September and it was discovered that he had also broken into a house in Carisbrooke Road, Arbury, on 13 June, had attempted to burgle a house in Copped Hall Drive, Camberley, Surrey, on 8 August.

Wall was jailed for two years and four months on Wednesday (19 February), at Cambridge Crown Court, after being found guilty of burglary. He pleaded guilty to another count of burglary and one count of attempted burglary and received no separate penalty for these.

PC Andy Smith, from the acquisitive crime team, said: “I’d like to commend and thank the passer-by of the Histon burglary as his photo and the information he passed onto us played a big part in getting Wall convicted.

“It was also very brave of him to follow a potentially dangerous criminal who had just burgled a property.

“Burglary is a despicable crime that leaves people feeling incredibly vulnerable in their own homes so it’s great Wall is now behind bars.”

For burglary prevention advice, visit the dedicated pages on the force website.