A lighter helped catch an intruder who ransacked a couple’s new home before they could move in.
The victims were in the process of moving their things into a Rise Park flat when the burglary happened.
After leaving their belongings in Townsend Court, they went back to their soon-to-be former home to spend the night.
When they awoke the next day, however, they were told the address had been raided overnight and their things had been taken.
High-value bags, a laptop, tablet, shoes, and a distinctive suitcase were all stolen, while the flat was left in a mess on 22 October 2023.
Following extensive inquiries, detectives managed to catch intruder Stephen Goulding – after finding several things linking him to the burglary.
One of these was the discovery of a discarded lighter within the property, which when forensically analysed, was found to contain Goulding’s DNA.
This piece of evidence – coupled with grainy CCTV footage of the intruder wheeling the stolen suitcase away from the building – helped secure a burglary charge.
The strength of this evidence also ensured the 31-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared in court last November.
Goulding, of no fixed address, returned to Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday (6 August), where he was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years.
He was also told he must complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, as well as a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement review.
Detective Sergeant Simon Carter, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“As this case showed, burglary is an incredibly invasive crime that can cause real upset to the people targeted.
“Stephen Goulding ruined what should’ve been a positive experience for the victims, as they prepared to move into their new flat.
“Before the homeowners had even spent the night there, however, and with some of their things already moved in, Goulding ransacked the property.
“Extensive inquiries were conducted in the weeks that followed, which eventually resulted in our investigative team – ably led by DC Grace Jolly – identifying several links to the man responsible.
“These included forensic checks of a lighter discarded at the scene being traced back to Goulding, with this evidence playing a role in us eventually charging him.
“We’re pleased to see that he has now been sentenced for his actions that night.”
