Byker burglar jailed after targeting newly opened Italian restaurant in Heaton

A burglar has been jailed after targeting a newly-opened restaurant in Newcastle.

In April, the owners of Punto Italian Kitchen in Heaton said they were left ‘devastated’ by the burglary which saw shameless thief Andrew Charleston, of Shields Road, Byker, force entry into the restaurant and take a number of items. Security footage shows the 25-year-old rummaging around inside the restaurant, before damaging the security shutter and rear door, and then fleeing the scene.

The incident was reported to police on the morning of April 1, officers were able to locate, arrest and charge Charleston within 12 hours. Earlier this month, Charleston was jailed for four months at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court after previously pleading guilty to burglary.

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Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Dave Lumsden from the Force’s Central Burglary Team said: “This is a great result which goes to show that the criminal justice system will not tolerate offences of this nature.

“Burglaries can have a significant impact on victims and in this case, it had a profound impact on the owners of a new business. The restaurant was trying to get off the ground and thanks to Charleston, they lost a substantial amount of stock and saw their premises damaged.

Earlier this month, prolific Andrew Charleston of Shields Road, Byker was jailed for four months at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court after previously pleading guilty to burglary. (Northumbria Police)

“We are thankful to Punto’s team for their cooperation with the investigation – their CCTV footage helped us to swiftly identify the person responsible and within 12 hours he was charged and ready for court.

“I would like our communities to know that we are committed to doing all we can to tackle this type of criminality and will work hard to bring offenders to justice.”

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