A man was jailed after a burglary in Cheltenham, where he climbed onto a roof to escape police for 40 minutes before being arrested with stolen items.
Cheltenham: A man broke into a house and climbed onto the roof to avoid police. Winston Allen, 59, was sentenced to two years and four months in jail.
This incident happened on November 5 last year. The homeowner was away but got an alert from their security system about the break-in.
Allen was spotted inside the house wearing dark clothes and carrying a flashlight. The homeowner couldn’t call 999 but asked a family member to alert the police.
Police arrived quickly and surrounded the house. They heard noises inside but didn’t see anyone leave.
When officers entered through the front, Allen escaped out the back. Body camera footage showed him climbing a wall and getting onto the roof of a nearby building.
He stayed on the roof for about 40 minutes, looking for a way to escape. During this time, he threw items into neighboring gardens.
Eventually, he climbed down and was arrested for burglary. Police found a gold chain and earrings on him, which the victim identified as theirs.
One earring and a flashlight were also found on the roof. Allen admitted to the burglary during questioning and was charged accordingly.
He also confessed to another burglary that same night. Police found a stolen silver Rolex watch in his possession from that incident.
Allen was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court on January 16 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.
PC Sheer from the Cheltenham Vanguard Team said that being burgled can leave victims feeling vulnerable. He hopes Allen’s arrest shows their commitment to keeping Cheltenham safe.
