Stuart Gardner from Preston kept leaving his property at crime scenes.

On the most recent occasion he returned to one home he had burgled to tell 74-year-old Peter Diamond: "I'm the person who broke in - can I have my mobile phone back?"

His victim said: "The chap appeared in the garden wanting his phone. I couldn't believe his cheek. He had some front to come back."

Now the 30-year-old, of Scotforth Road, Fishwick, has been jailed for more than three years by a judge at Preston Crown Court.

One police source described his actions as "a very stupid thing to do".

Pensioner Mr Diamond, also from Fishwick, told the Lancashire Evening Post of his "complete shock" when Gardner brazenly walked into his garden to ask for his phone back.

Gardner also gave back to retired magician Mr Diamond the house keys he had stolen.

The court was also told how, in a bizarre twist, when police arrived to take Mr Diamond's statement, the officer received a report another property in the street had been targeted.

The officer raced to that property and caught Gardner red-handed with a rucksack full of stolen property.

He told her: "You've got me - I'm the burglar."

Mr Diamond had followed the officer and Gardner turned to him and apologised for breaking into his property.

The court heard Gardner had smashed the back window to force his way inside before ransacking the ground floor of Mr Diamond's terraced property, pulling papers out of cupboards and emptying drawers as he searched for cash.

But he fled after going upstairs and hearing the householder making noises in his room.

Fingerprints

Mr Diamond, who travelled the world performing illusions for more than 30 years, said: "The burglary really shook me up. It was so frightening.

"But I'm not going to let this get to me. I'm glad he's gone to jail. He deserves it."

At the time of the Fishwick burglaries in February, Gardner was on bail after being arrested for a break-in at commercial premises and the theft of copper cable.

He had been caught after leaving a tobacco pouch with his fingerprints at the scene of another of the crimes.

In court Gardner admitted three burglaries and theft, and asked for a further 12 burglaries to be taken into consideration.

He had 44 previous offences on his record and was liable for a statutory minimum three-year sentence, the court heard.

Defence counsel Adrian Williams said a promising career as a plasterer was blighted by an amphetamine habit which was costing him, at one time, £100 a day.

Judge Anthony Russell QC, the Recorder of Preston, jailed Gardner for three years and three months.

He said it was sad to see a man with so much promise and a good work background to be committing offences because of drug abuse.

Speaking after the hearing, Det Sgt Matt Kerr of Preston CID said: "By his own actions Gardner convicted himself."

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