‘Master jewellery thief’ caught out after leaving DNA on ladder during burglary

A man who considered himself a 'master' jewellery thief was caught out after leaving his DNA on a ladder he used to break into a property. Peter O'Halloran, 49, was raided at his home in Suffolk[1] by Cambridgeshire[2] Police in November 2022. He was linked through CCTV images to a series of burglaries across the county as well as Norfolk and Northamptonshire.

Inside his home, they found GBP60,000 in cash concealed within a desk plus coins worth up to GBP80,000, watches and bags of gems. Detectives also found a book called 'Confessions of a Master Jewellery Thief' in his bedroom as well as an ultrasonic cleaning machine in his garage. There were also false number plates, mobile phones, cash and changes of clothes in his vehicle.

Peter O'Halloran (Image: Cambridgeshire Police)

O'Halloran was caught out after breaking into a home in Church Street, Guilden Morden on March 4, 2022. He stole the ladder from a nearby property and was seen on CCTV walking around the boundary of the home and using it to peer through windows. He then broke in and took jewellery and watches from the home.

Officers also identified O'Halloran in CCTV images from a burglary in Northamptonshire in January 2019 where heirlooms worth around GBP700,000 were stolen. At Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (November 17), O'Halloran, of Gardeners Road, Debenham, Stowmarket, was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison. He had previously plead guilty to the Guilden Morden burglary, a burglary in Northamptonshire and a third in Norfolk.

A further nine burglaries across five counties were also taken into consideration.

Four of them took place in Cambridgeshire in Waresley, Newton and two in Brington between January and November 2022. Detective Constable Lisa Bacon, from the Southern Burglary Team, said: "O'Halloran is a calculated, professional, high-value burglar with a string of convictions against his name. "He considers himself a 'master' thief, carefully surveying the homes he is going to target and then going to great lengths to ensure the stolen items are not traced back to him.

I hope this sentence provides some closure to all of the victims affected by his criminality."

References

1. ^ Suffolk (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
2. ^ Cambridgeshire (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
3. ^ Crash in Somersham sees car overturn and Cambridgeshire Police called to scene (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
4. ^ Cambridge attempted robbery sees moped-riding youths chase man in attempt to steal his electric bik (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)