Black Country burglar nicked after leaving footprints in snow

Apr 19 2009 by Mark Cowan, Sunday Mercury

BUNGLING burglar Paul Taylor left the perfect clue for police at the scene of a house he had broken into – a set of footprints in fresh snow.

Clued-up cops traced the hapless crook’s trail for TWO MILES across a housing estate, wasteland, car park, canal and a towpath.

And at the end of the footprints they discovered drug addict Taylor, 26, hiding in a car – with a swag bag full of jewellery and cash.

The break-in took place during the winter snap that battered the Midlands in February and has now left the dim-witted Black Country behind bars.

Meanwhile, arresting officers Sergeant Jamie Checkland and PC Paul Harobin have been praised for their display of good old-fashioned detective work.

Details of the burglary emerged after members of West Midlands Police Authority were briefed by Chief Constable Sir Paul Scott-Lee

In a document he said: “It was the night of heavy snowfall and when officers arrived at the scene the offender had run away leaving footprints in the snow.

“Officers followed the footprints for two hours over fields, pathways and through estates, until the trail ended at an address some two miles away from the attacked premises.”