Southend: Prolific burglar caught in the act and jailed for 13 offences

A prolific burglar who targeted homes, shops and even a church in the Southend area has been jailed for more than four years thanks to a thorough investigation.

Our investigation linked Micky Scott, 32, to ten burglaries, many involving the theft of high value items or the damage of property worth thousands of pounds.

Scott, from Canvey Island, was released from prison on an electronic monitoring tag in January 2023.

This monitoring proved vital in securing charges against Scott, as he proceeded to swiftly return to a criminal lifestyle throughout February, setting shops, homes and businesses in his sights.

Scott was arrested, alongside co-accused Josh Love, 28, outside an address in Westcliff on 14 February. Two windows at the property had been smashed.

Officers had traced Scott’s electronic tag to the property.

Offender linked to burglary spree

Through careful analysis of his tag, Scott was linked to the burglaries of businesses and homes across Southend throughout the month.

He was found to have burgled the Cliffs Pavilion, in Westcliff, on 5 February, taking bottles of alcohol and causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage.

Scott was further linked to a burglary at a home in Westcliff on February 5, which involved the theft of two bicycles from the living room, as well as the burglary of a shop in Westcliff on 6 February, which saw a glass door smashed with a brick before alcohol was stolen.

We were able to show Scott was at the scene of a burglary at a church in Westcliff on 7 February, which saw £1,700 worth of damage caused.

Thanks to the weight of evidence compiled against him, Scott admitted ten counts of burglary, two counts of attempted burglary and one count of theft.

Appearing at Basildon Crown Court on Monday 9 October, he was jailed for 52 months.

Love, of Chichester Close, Rayleigh, was also found, thanks to the work of officers analysing CCTV, to be responsible for thefts at shops in Southend and Leigh-on-Sea.

He admitted two counts of burglary and two counts of theft.

Appearing at the same court on 24 July, he was sentenced to one year and six months’ imprisonment and a 42-week suspended prison sentence was activated.

Detailed and complex investigation

Officer in the case, DC Sam Sheehan, of Southend CID, said: “This was a complex and detailed investigation, using GPS tag data as key evidence to secure charges against a prolific offender.
“Scott showed a total disregard for his many victims.
“Several of those he targeted now feel unsafe in their own homes and continue to live with the trauma of these unpleasant crimes.
“We are all too aware that burglary amounts to far more than the theft of property. It is a deeply unsettling offence, which leaves victims feeling helpless.
“Our dedicated investigation into Scott’s actions, which included working with several teams including officers who manage offenders and their electronic monitoring, allowed us to literally stop him in the act.
“At the time of his arrest, analysis of his tag linked him to a burglary in progress.
“He will now spend a significant term behind bars, leaving the Southend community a safer place.”

For advice on how to stay safe and protect your home, yourself, your business and your vehicles from crime, please visit our crime prevention pages.

You can also find out more general information about crime, the law and staying safe on our advice and information pages.

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