An Ipswich jewellery shop owner felt "angry and powerless" after his store was burgled by a man who tried to evade police after the theft by climbing onto a rooftop.
Daniel Coulson was jailed on Tuesday for two years and six months for burgling Carats Jewellers and the Staffright Group in the Buttermarket on May 16 and burglary at Europe Cars, Ipswich on May 9.
Police set up a cordon on Buttermarket and Tavern Street which lasted nine hours on May 16 as a result of Coulson’s actions.
The 49-year-old threw items at police and threatened to “come down headfirst” if they approached him, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Emergency services remained at the scene for many hours (Image: Newsquest)
Carats suffered a £10,000 loss as a result of damaged stock and more than £2,000 damage to the premises.
Speaking after the jailing Hayden Bishop, owner of Carats said he was satisfied with the sentence and added: “I know what the current state of the prison system is, so for him to get anything is good.
Carats suffered a £10,000 loss from stock damage and £2,000 in damage to premises (Image: Newsquest)
“As far as I’m concerned, the police did a fantastic job. I know they have rules on how they can deal with someone who is threatening to throw themselves off a roof so it’s not their fault he was up there for so long.
“The way they dealt with us was fantastic, I can’t fault Suffolk Police.”
He explained his emotions when he realised the alarm had gone off because the break-in happened while he was abroad.
He said: “I felt mixed emotions to be honest: angry, upset and powerless.
“I was on holiday at the time so I wasn’t even in the country so it was the whole board of emotions to be honest.”
Due to the length of the cordon many businesses did not reopen until Friday, with Carats shut until the Saturday.
Many estimated that businesses within the area lost thousands due to the cordon.
Ipswich Borough Councillor Colin Kreidewolf added: “I feel the police did well to capture him and manage the episode on the rooftops of the town centre which caused a lot of disruption to business on the day.
Colin Kreidewolf, Ipswich borough councillor (Image: Newsquest)
“It’s pleasing they brought him to justice and that he has received punishment for his crimes but he is a persistent offender and one would help there are systems in place to make sure he does not reoffend in the future.”
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