A prolific burglar who went on a crime spree and targeted businesses throughout the city centre is now behind bars.
Adrian Perry, aged 53, broke into multiple businesses during a two-week period forcing his way into shops, fast food restaurants and pubs in a bid to steal money, phones and in one instance even toilet roll.
Breaking into his first target – a pub in Long Row West on 12 August 2021 – Perry managed to scale an outside wall before clinging onto a window sill and attempting to gain access into the flat above.
Having failed in his attempt he then climbed back down and smashed a toilet window with a brick, allowing him to get into the pub and steal £100 in cash from the till.
It was only when he was spooked by an alarm being set off that he fled.
Only three days later Perry targeted a store in Radford Road, at around 6am on 15 August, where he smashed a toilet window and stole a mobile phone, opened several parcels and even some toilet roll.
His next target – a fast-food restaurant in Long Row – was burgled on 28 August 2021, where he once again used a fire extinguisher to smash into a cash deposit box to find more money.
After noticing the cash box was empty, Perry then ran off leaving the office in a mess having searched it for anything worth stealing.
But thanks to officers on patrol, Perry was arrested after being spotted on 31 August 2021.
After being arrested he was also found in possession of a driving license which had been stolen only hours earlier from a car in Roberts Road, Sneinton.
After pleading guilty to three counts of burglary, attempted burglary and theft Perry was remanded into custody awaiting his sentence.
He was jailed for three years and three months after appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday 30 March.
Perry, of no fixed address, was also ordered to abide by a criminal behaviour order prohibiting him from being in the city centre during 10pm to 7am every day.
A further seven counts of commercial burglaries including five in Sneinton Market, in August 2021, were also taken into consideration by the judge when sentencing Perry for his crimes.
Detective Constable Richard Evans, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Burglaries have such a big impact on people not only financially but emotionally too and when a business is burgled it can be devastating to them financially and force them to close and be unable to go about their normal daily business.
“We understand the sheer impact burglaries can have on the public, shops, pubs and other businesses and will always do our best to find those responsible and bring them to justice and we are continuing to work extremely hard to crack down on this type of behaviour.
“Perry’s opportunistic behaviour shows his complete lack of regard for other people.
“I want to reassure the public and business owners that we will do everything we can to take swift action and arrest those responsible who think it’s okay to target shops and people’s homes for their own selfish gains.
“I welcome the court’s outcome today and I hope it sends a strong message to others who believe they can carry out the same behaviour that we will take robust action to protect the people of Nottinghamshire.”
