Jailed: Prolific burglar targeted charity shops, homes and businesses across Shropshire

Wade Walsh was responsible for a series of ‘sneak in’ burglaries, where he had found shops and homes he could get into without breaking his way in.

In total the 43-year-old, of no fixed abode, admitted four charges of burglary, two charges of theft, and two of fraud by false representation.

He was jailed for 38 months and during a court hearing he also asked for a further 10 burglaries to be taken into account, which had taken place between 2012 and 2016.

Judge Anthony Lowe was told Walsh’s previous record included 56 convictions for a total of 140 offences.

The burglaries, which mainly took place in April, included a woman’s house on Wyle Cop in Shrewsbury where he took a handbag with cards and £500 cash, another at Pets 2000 in Whitchurch where a bag with around £2,000 was taken, at Oxfam and the Severn Hospice shops in Shrewsbury, and at businesses in Ludlow.

When inside the premises Walsh, who was appearing at court from custody, had taken purses and unattended bags, keys, and cards.

Kevin Jones, prosecuting, told the court how the cards had been used for a number of contactless transactions of less than £30 a time – totalling hundreds of pounds.

All the offences had involved Walsh waiting for opportunities to steal while people had left their property unattended, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.

Mr Jones read a victim impact statement from the victim who lives at Wyle Cop. She told how she was left unnerved and scared by the incident. She said she had considered moving house and would no longer leave her daughter in the house alone.

Sentencing, Judge Lowe told Walsh: “I don’t think you really understand the impact this has on your victims. Trust me, the people who you are taking these things from are really affected by it and people are far more affected by crime than people realise. I am told you have had some sort of awakening, but given your record you would have to prove that in the future.”