A hapless burglar who left his prison release documents and a false tooth behind at a crime scene has been put straight back behind bars.
Mudasser Ahmed, aged 43, was interrupted by a group of students when he raided a hall of residence in Russel Street, Nottingham city centre.
One of the students managed to grab Ahmed’s rucksack and found the documents which included his name, personal details and a photograph.
Ahmed, of no fixed abode, was jailed for three years and nine months for one count of burglary when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on 7 December 2022.
Detective Sergeant Franco Guddemi, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Committing another burglary while still having prison release documents in his bag shows the sort of prolific, career criminal we are dealing with.
“I am pleased with the sentence handed down to Ahmed and it sends another strong message that this sort of offending will never be tolerated by the force.
“We take all reports of burglary extremely seriously and never underestimate the impact it has on victims.
“Behind every burglary is a person and a family who have been the victim of an extremely upsetting crime. This is why we take burglary so seriously and have dedicated teams of detectives working to bring offenders like Ahmed to justice.”
One of the students who lived in the accommodation had left the kitchen area inside the flats and returned to his room at around 10.35 pm on 26 October 2022 when he heard a man’s voice inside.
The student tried to open his door but the person inside pushed it shut and locked the door.
After about a minute, Ahmed emerged into the corridor holding a rucksack. Several students confronted him and questioned why he was inside the building.
He pushed past them and was verbally abusive before a struggle saw Ahmed lose one of his false teeth.
Another student grabbed Ahmed’s rucksack and the offender fled the scene.
When they searched the bag, the students found two laptop computers, a charger and aftershave belonging to one of them, as well as personal information revealing Ahmed’s identity.
Det Sgt Guddemi added: “Student properties can be targeted by burglars due to them being left insecure and also having numerous occupants meaning rich pickings for the burglar.
“We’d urge students to check their door and window locks are working correctly and remember to make sure they keep their doors and windows locked at all times, especially if their rooms are on the ground floor.
“Students living in multi-occupancy properties should work together to ensure they all take responsibility for keeping their home secure.”
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