A "prolific" burglar has been jailed for nearly five years for a series of crimes across Suffolk.

Billy Swaley Smith, aged 35 and of Tawneys Ride in Bures, has been jailed for four years and seven months after pleading guilty at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday to a string of burglary offences. 

Swaley Smith was arrested in Ipswich on August 18 last year and charged with three offences: a burglary in Chevallier Street in Ipswich where various items were stolen, including an Xbox; one in Rushmere Road where jewellery and £1,000 in cash were stolen; and a third in Bixley Road in Ipswich where £800 was stolen.

After he was charged with these crimes, Swaley Smith chose to work with the police and the Operation Converter team and had a further 21 counts of burglary taken into consideration, all between May and August 2023.

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During this time, Swaley Smith targeted addresses in Ipswich, Long Melford, Little Cornard and Bures and stole items including an Amazon Kindle device, jewellery, power tools and golf clubs.

He also stole much larger items, including bronze statues worth £10,000 from Long Melford and a Honda motorbike from another address.

DI Richard Prouse, of Suffolk police, said: "Swaley Smith was a prolific burglar who preyed on residential properties and his actions caused widespread misery, distress and upset for his victims.

"He will now have plenty of time in jail to reflect on his brazen and callous criminal behaviour where he showed little or no regard for his victims.

"We know burglary can have a devastating effect on the victims and the prevention of burglary, and the conviction of burglars continues to be a priority for the constabulary."

DC Barry Simpson, of the Op Converter team, said: "Whilst he was on remand he made the admissions to the others and we hope the fact we have secured this conviction will give some closure to those victims he targeted."

Operation Converter is a police initiative aimed at encouraging offenders to admit to further crimes.