Two men have been jailed in connection with 21 burglary offences which were committed across the St Albans district.
Dixie Palache, aged 50, from Pamala Street in London and Anthony Wilson, aged 48, from Ferndale Road in Tottenham, were each sentenced to five years in prison at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, July 20.
The pair were arrested following the execution of a warrant in Oysterfields, St Albans, in December 2017 where a vast amount of stolen property was recovered.
Officers worked through the property, including jewellery, watches, foreign currency and electrical items and managed to link them to at least 13 victims.
Subsequent searches resulted in ‘burglary kits’ and further stolen property being recovered from Palache and Wilson’s respective addresses. Investigations were able to place the pair at the scene of many of the offences, which occurred between October 2017 and February 2018.
They were charged with conspiracy to burgle and sent for trial where they pleaded guilty during day two of the hearing.
Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) proceedings are now being commenced against the pair in an attempt to provide compensation to the victims.
Detective Constable Paul Cullinan, from the Constabulary’s Specialist Investigation Team (SIT), said: “Anthony Wilson and Dixie Palache committed a spree of burglaries; they had a complete disregard for their victims and thought they could evade police detection. It is thanks to great work by our officers that these prolific criminals are now behind bars and we have been able to return stolen property to the rightful owners.
“We fully understand the devastating impact that burglary has, both on the victims themselves and the wider community. We have been working hard to bring offenders to justice and will continue our relentless pursuit of those involved in crime.”
Neighbourhood Chief Inspector Stuart Cheek added: “This sentence sends out a strong message that we will utilise our specialist central teams, as well as local resources to target this type of criminality. I am grateful for the quality of investigation and support provided by DC Cullinan, which was well supported by our team at St Albans.”
With the summer holidays now upon us we are urging people to ensure they don’t leave their homes an easy target for burglars. Warmer weather tends to mean open windows, open doors and unlocked garden gates, which can provide opportunities for thieves. Remain vigilant and always ensure windows and doors are fully locked when leaving your home unattended.
If you’re going on holiday, ensure you give your home a lived-in look by asking a neighbour to collect mail, bring in bins and even park on your driveway. If you witness any suspicious activity, please report it to police and always dial 999 if a crime is in progress. Further advice is available on the Herts Police website.
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