Burglar who targeted homes in Preston jailed for more than 6 years
A burglar who stole £20,000 worth of possessions from homes in Preston has been jailed for more than six years.
John Stoddard, 53, entered four properties in the city centre between December 2024 and January 2025, where he stole electrical items, designer clothes and jewellery worth around £20,000.
Lancashire Police’s residential burglary team launched an investigation and he was arrested in Yorkshire on February 12 and charged with four counts of burglary and four counts of theft.
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Yesterday, Stoddard, of Ryde Street, Hull appeared at Preston Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary and handling stolen goods.
He was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison.
His arrest and conviction marks another win for Op Defender - a force wide campaign to crackdown on residential burglary.
It aims to locate and arrest offenders, take positive action to reduce residential burglary through crime prevention advice, and to safeguard and support victims of crime, keeping them at the heart of investigations.