A prolific burglar has been jailed after stealing charity boxes from stores in Chippenham.
Homeless 43 -year-old Dean Cochrane smashed through windows to steal charity boxes from the Pasty Cove on April 29 and Iceland on April 30.
Following a swift investigation by officers, Cochrane was arrested, charged and remanded into custody for the offences, as well as thefts from two supermarkets in Chippenham and supermarkets in Warminster and Bradford on Avon.
He pleaded guilty to all offences and on Saturday (4 April) he was sentenced to 46 weeks’ imprisonment at Swindon Magistrates’ Court.
Wiltshire Police sergeant Jamie Ball said: “Cochrane is a prolific thief and burglar and it’s despicable that he has targeted the charity boxes in stores.
“Thanks to intelligence from the stores and the local community, we were able to arrest and charge Cochrane within just a couple of days of him burgling the stores, and I’m pleased he has already been sentenced for his crimes, for which there can be no justification.
“We are fortunate that the number of burglaries, including for businesses, in Chippenham is relatively low.
“However, this incident shows that when burglaries do take place, it is taken incredibly seriously.
“We will always endeavour to swiftly work with the businesses targeted to gather the evidence and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
