A burglar stole designer watches, bikes, cans of Coca Cola and loose change in a spree lasting weeks.
Michael Laffey counted a gym, a solicitor’s office, and a pub among his targets during a series of burglaries and thefts around Liverpool city centre last year.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the offences took place across September, October and November, with the 25-year-old targeting properties in the vicinity of Dale Street, Tithebarn Street and Crosshall Street.
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Suzanne Payne, prosecuting, said Laffey also undertook a series of thefts outside, targeting bikes that had been locked up in car parks and outside shops.
However, he was eventually caught after numerous sightings on CCTV and was also recorded entering an apartment building on Crosshall Street to burgle one of the flats there.
That was by far his biggest target, with Laffey taking close to £20,000 worth of goods.
After forcing his way into the apartment he stole a Rolex Submariner watch, a custom electric bike and numerous silver bars.
Laffey brazenly tried to return a few days later before fleeing after being confronted by another resident.
The court heard Laffey had lived in the building himself for a time but that he was sleeping rough on city centre streets at the time his crimes were committed.
The smaller thefts included him targeting the Joe Neill Fitness gym and taking money from the till as well as stealing a branded hoodie.
Laffey also stole a single laptop from the solicitors firm Brian Jackson & Co.
He later stole a drill and cans of coke from a Chinese restaurant and broke into the Railway pub before stealing cash from the tips jar.
John Rowan, defending, said Laffey’s thefts were driven by his addiction to drugs and said he wished to apologise to all of his victims.
He said: “His record is similar to many of those with a rampant addiction to Class A drugs.
“All of these cases were committed to feed his addiction to Class A drugs.”
Mr Rowan said Laffey’s time in custody so far was enabling him to begin to tackle his addiction and that he hoped to continue with this upon his release.
Judge Robert Trevor-Jones, sentencing, said it was clear from the pattern of offences that they were rooted in the need to pay for drugs.
He said: “It is apparent that every few days or so you went out burgling, no doubt it was to steal in order to get something to pay for drugs.”
However, he said all of the offences all caused issues for his victims.
Judge Trevor-Jones said: “There was real disruption, real inconvenience and real loss for these people.”
He added that Laffey’s previous convictions also aggravated his case.
Laffey, of Crosshall Street, Liverpool, was jailed for a total of three years and eight months after pleading guilty to multiple counts of theft and burglary and one count of attempted burglary.
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