Pet shop burglar jailed for three years
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A burglar has been jailed for breaking into a charity shop during a month long crime spree around Devon.
Michael Morgan is a serial burglar who moved to Devon from Wales to start a new life after being released from jail in May but went straight for just 16 days before he started breaking into shops.
He raided the Mare and Foal charity shop in Queen Street, Newton Abbot and stole a charity collecting tin from a butcher's as he struck at six locations in Tavistock and South Devon in the space of a few days.
He was caught because he left traces of blood at the scene of one break in at a bowling club and finger or boot prints at the other shops, Exeter Crown Court was told.
Morgan, aged 41, who was living in guest houses after moving from his home in Mynachdy Road, Cardiff, admitted three burglaries and asked for three more to be taken into consideration and was jailed for three years by Judge Francis Gilbert, QC.
He told him: "These were retail premises including a charity shop and a bowling club. You are a man with a long criminal record with 22 previous non dwelling burglaries and a total of 205 offences."
Miss Janice Eagles, prosecuting, said Morgan was released from jail in May and started committing offences in Tavistock just over two weeks later.
He broke into Odds and Ends and A Scent, which are both florists, and the Tavistock Pet Company.
He then moved to South Devon where he burgled the Victoria Bowling Club in Torquay, the Parkside Butchers in Paignton and the Mare and Foal Sanctury shop in Newton Abbot, where he stole cash.
Miss Eagles said he broke into the charity shop by pushing protective metal bars off a window frame and then ripped a safe off a wall before stealing money. He was caught by CCTV and a shoe print.
Morgan, who represented himself, said: "I moved to Devon to get away from home and came down here for a fresh start away from people who were involved with drugs. I got back into trouble. I apologise. I blame the drugs."
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