Bloody burglar going back to prison after Brighton break-ins

A serial burglar and drug addict who broke into the offices of a number of Brighton companies was caught after leaving a trail of blood.

Robert Jody May, 40, of no fixed address, burgled Premier House, in Marlborough Place, yards from the Royal Pavilion, on Saturday 24 May.

Sussex Police said that May “had already served a number of prison sentences for burglary”.

When he burgled Premier House, the force, said, “he stole thousands of pounds worth of laptops as well as mobile phones, tablets and cash.

“But left a trail of blood at the scene that crime scene investigators were able to prove belonged to May.”

He admitted 10 counts of burglary at Lewes Crown Court and was remanded in custody to be sentenced on Friday 26 September when he is likely to be jailed again.

Detective Inspector Clare Shiel said: “May has a history of breaking into businesses and office blocks to steal computers and electrical equipment.

“He continues to commit burglaries to fund his heroin addiction even while he is on bail or licence and has spent much of the last few years in prison after being linked to his crimes.

“Having him behind bars means there are likely to be far fewer businesses that suffer at the hands of burglars.”

Sussex Police has a continuing operation – Operation Magpie – which it set up to tackle burglary and burglars.

Among the recent arrests and charges resulting from Op Magpie are

the charging of John Paul Healey, 33, with a burglary in Holmes Avenue, Hove, on Friday 22 August and others in Lewes and Newhaven. Healey, of Blois Road, Lewes, was remanded in custody to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 18 September.

the charging of a 16-year-old boy with a separate burglary in Holmes Avenue, another in Applesham Avenue in Hangleton and one in Franklin Road, Portslade, last year. He was released on bail to appear at Brighton Youth Court next Tuesday (16 September).

the arrest of a 27-year-old man for a burglary in Rowan Avenue, Hangleton, on Saturday 30 August and three counts of fraud. He was released on bail until Thursday 2 October.