Police trace burglar to seaside camping hideout

A prolific thief has been sent to a youth offenders institute for a series of burglaries in Solihull – after West Midlands Police traced him to his seaside campsite hiding place.

Lewis Tilley was wanted in connection with three house raids in a matter of weeks, including one at a family home in Dorridge on 22nd April where a computer and sentimental jewellery was stolen.

Tilley also struck at a house in Coventry Road in Solihull on 28th April having kicked open a wooden front door but made off after being disturbed by a neighbour.

Detectives identified the 19-year-old as a suspect when officers responding to a 1am call for help in Rashwood Close in Hockley Heath, on 10th March, found a mobile phone that had been dropped in a garden.

Examination of its contacts and messages linked it to Tilley – who has 25 convictions for theft, robbery, burglary and other offences dating back to 2009 when he was just 11 – but he evaded capture despite several arrest attempts at addresses.

However, enquiries pointed to him lying low at a campsite in Brean and on 18th June he was arrested from a car in Washwood Heath Road having been tracked heading north on the M5 from the Somerset holiday spot.

He denied the burglaries, plus a car theft in Highgate and a failed break-in at Tutnall Drive in Hockley Heath, and refused to answer any police questions.

But in the face of compelling evidence he later admitted burglary, attempted burglary and car theft and at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday (21st July) was sent to a youth offenders institute for three years.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Kate Fitzgerald, said: “Tilley is still a teenager but has a string of burglary offences to his name; he has broken into properties in the middle of the night and also struck at family homes.

“It seems he doesn’t care who he hurts or what psychological damage he inflicts on victims. One woman awoke to find him rooting through her home – and it’s lucky children were not home when he struck at the family address.

“Tilley thought he could avoid capture at a campsite in Somerset but we found him and he’s now swapped a beautiful seaside spot for a youth offenders institute.

“We offer people like Tilley a way to escape a life of crime: with partner agencies we have programmes designed to rehabilitate offenders.

“But if they refuse to engage with us and continue offending they can expect to spend much of their life locked away from society.”

Read more: https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/latest-news/news.aspx?id=5894