Preston burglar was 'handed getaway bike' by bystander after being Pava sprayed

Scott Allonby, of Yewtree Avenue, Ribbleton, Preston, stole a haul of goods from a home on Glen Grove, Ribbleton - including irreplaceable, priceless, rings handed down by the victims’ maternal grandmother.

The 27-year-old intruder ransacked the home of Kamil Lapiak and his family between December 23 and 24, while they were away in Poland, leaving blood smeared on a wall.

Mr Lapiak’s shocked brother, Sebastian, who was regularly checking the house to see everything was all right, made the heartbreaking discovery on Christmas Eve and had to telephone the family to let them know.

Prosecuting, David Clarke said noticed a woman’s handbag on the ground that had not been there earlier.

He had then found the kitchen doorway blocked by a chair, with the back door smashed in, a large stone and shattered glass on the floor and various drawers ransacked and left open.

The family’s 55 inch TV, worth £2,200 was missing.

Upstairs, Allonby had opened and rifled through cupboards and helped himself to a jewellery box containing the four sentimental rings and a watch, and also stole £750 cash.

Another TV, worth £1,800 was also stolen.

Allonby was soon caught out by his DNA from the blood smear he had left in the hallway, the court was told.

When police tried to arrest Allonby on January 11 in Preston he was Pava sprayed, but despite this he managed to run away and a member of public, who hasn’t been identified, gave him a bike to help him escape.

When he was eventually caught, he made no comment in his police interview.

He has since pleaded guilty to a charge of dwelling house burglary, and he has a similar matter from May 2010 on his record.

The court was told none of the goods have been found or returned to the victims.

Jailing him for 16 months, Judge Philip Parry said there had been “clear ransacking” of the family’s home.

Lancashire police regularly advise residents to take steps to prevent burglaries, including making homes look “lived-in” by using a light timer, locking up doors, windows, vehicles,

garages or sheds, and keeping valuables such as keys, wallets, mobile phones and laptops out of sight.