Teen jailed for stealing £47,000 worth of goods in Ipswich burglaries

Connor Roche of no fixed abode was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday, August 14.

He will spend 20 months in a Young Offenders Institute after pleading guilty at a previous hearing.

Roche was given an additional eight month sentence for dangerous driving.

He was also disqualified from driving for three years and two months.

Roche was arrested in connection with a burglary at a house on Hill Rise in Stowmarket on March 11 when he went into a house and took the keys to a Mercedes CLS 320 as well as the victim's wallet, he also broke into a shed in the back garden. He then took the car.

He was arrested and charged the next day with a variety of vehicle offences including dangerous driving in and around Ipswich.

After pleading guilty to the incident Roche chose to work with the Operation Converter team and admitted a number of other crimes, including 17 burglary dwelling offences.

Most of these took place in the Ipswich area including two thefts of motor vehicle and an incident of criminal damage.

All the incidents took place between November 21 2018 and March 11 2019.

Operation Converter is an initiative aimed at getting offenders to admit to their crimes. Officers say the operation gives victims peace of mind and gives the offenders the opportunity to have a fresh start afterwards.

DC Duncan Etchells from the Op Converter team said: "Roche is a determined and vindictive individual and by creating such a trail of destruction and damage he has caused his victims great distress.

"This sentence again proves to everyone that crime simply doesn't pay.

"He is a habitual offender and one whose actions caused misery for many householders and owners of vehicles.

"He will now have plenty of time to reflect on his actions in jail.

"To see him jailed will hopefully bring some satisfaction to his victims and some source of comfort, as well as acting as a deterrent to other would-be burglars."