Thief John Lewis is jailed after breaking into a car in Stratford

A THIEF has been jailed after he was spotted on CCTV breaking into a car in Stratford.

John Lewis, 32, of Alcester Road, Stratford, broke into a car in Bridgeway Car Park on the evening of 24th September.

A CCTV operator from Stratford District Council alerted the police who headed to the scene and spotted Lewis in Greenhill Street.

He fled but a short time later was located in Grove Road where he was arrested.

Items Lewis had stolen from the car had been dumped in a bin near the car park, but were recovered by officers. They also seized cannabis from Lewis.

Appearing at Coventry Magistrates’ Court on Monday (26th September), Lewis was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to theft from a motor vehicle and possession of cannabis.

PC Ethan Baggott said: “The quick actions of the CCTV operator and the prompt response by officers meant Lewis was identified and arrested within 15 minutes of breaking into the car.

“Hopefully this response will serve as a warning to other criminals.”

Cllr Christopher Kettle, legal and community safety portfolio holder at Stratford District Council, said: “Once again our excellent CCTV coverage and well-trained and dedicated operators have shown that when you commit a crime you can run but you cannot hide.

“CCTV is vital for reducing crime and the fear of crime across the district, helping to keep our residents safe. The recent upgrade programme has allowed us to provide high-quality images for evidential purposes, together with the continued diligence of our operators, which greatly assists our policing partners.”