Prolific Surrey burglar jailed for four years

Christopher Potter pleaded guilty to breaking into eight homes

A prolific burglar who used garden tools to break into Surrey homes and steal thousands of pounds worth of goods has been jailed.

Christopher Potter, 35, from Nottinghamshire, carried out a string of break-ins at eight homes in Leatherhead and Epsom between December and March.

He pleaded guilty to the offences, as well as three counts of fraud by using stolen bank cards, at Guildford Crown Court on Wednesday.

In impact statements read to the court, victims described feeling "completely violated" after finding out their homes had been broken into.

The offences all involved a ground floor rear-entry break in, generally with garden tools, rocks or tools found in the surrounding area.

Surrey Police used CCTV from shops where stolen bank cards had been used and visited pawn shops where Potter had attempted to sell stolen jewellery, watches and electronics to track him down.

He was arrested on 6 March as he got out of a taxi which was being followed by officers in Leatherhead.

'Memories now tarnished'

Another said the stolen items were of great sentimental value having belonged to family members who had passed away.

They described them as "items that can never be replaced, memories that have now been tarnished by a person who had not been invited into our house".

Surrey Police said many of the items had been recovered and returned to their owners.

PC Joseph Brown, who led the case, said burglary took from victims "the sense of safety and security they should feel in their own homes".

“Potter committed multiple crimes in the space of just a few months and I have no doubt would have continued doing so," he added.

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