Burglar dubbed a 'one-man crimewave' jailed after spree in Wolverhampton and Walsall
A one-man crimewave who broke into fast food outlets, restaurants, shops and hair salons in Wolverhampton and Walsall has been jailed for two years.
Carl Bennett targeted 11 businesses between the end of July and September 21 last year, when he was arrested after he was injured as he broke into a Willenhall hairdressers.
Among the other businesses the 47-year-old struck at were six restaurants and takeaways in Wolverhampton city centre and one in the centre of Walsall.
Hundreds of pounds worth of damage were often caused, other times money was taken from tills, laptops stolen and at one venue alcohol worth more than £600 was taken.
At one Wolverhampton city centre pub Bennett even stole a charity tin off the bar.
Local officers used CCTV footage to identify Bennett and forensic experts were called in to analyse fingerprints left at the scene of some of the burglars.
The case compiled was so compelling that when Bennett, of no fixed address, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court, he admitted the charges: nine counts of burglary and two attempted burglaries.
Bennett further admitted five bike thefts, again in both Wolverhampton and Walsall, and was sentenced last Tuesday to a total of two years in jail.
PC Gary Lewis, from West Midlands Police's Wolverhampton team, said: "Carl Bennett went on something of a crime spree with a number of our businesses here in Wolverhampton and also in Walsall falling victim to his criminality.
"But with our local knowledge we were able to identify him and once arrested, our investigations and work with forensics helped ensure he's now behind bars."
