The burglars who targeted businesses and brought misery and fear to homeowners

Sadly it has been another busy year for burglary cases in the courts of south Wales.

While commercial burglaries bring disruption and financial loss, raids on homes can have a life-long effect on victims. Those whose homes are targeted are usually left feeling scared and anxious in the place they used to feel safe – some are so traumatised they have to move.

Here are some of the burglars who have been locked up in 2021 for raiding business, and for bringing misery and fear to homeowners.

Read more: See the latest cases from courts around Wales

The one who spent a week living in his victims’ house while they were on holiday

Glebs Zaicevs broke into a couple’s home while they were away on holiday and treated the property as his own, eating food from their fridge, sleeping in their bed, and even driving around town in their car. When the homeowners returned from their trip they caught him red-handed in the bedroom of their house in Tycoch, Swansea, whereupon he removed his jacket from their wardrobe, said “this is embarrassing”, and walked out.

The 29-year-old Latvian national was arrested a month later when he was caught stealing nuts and tea light candles from a Co-op shop, and was found to be carrying a flick knife.

Glebs Zaicevs, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison.

The one who left children frightened that ‘the boogeyman” may come back to their house

Kevin Harmon broke into two houses on the same Margam street in the dead of night in quick succession – from one he stole nothing but from the other he stole haul of items including watches, jewellery, a laptop, computer games consoles, aftershave, and the family car. He crashed the car into parked vehicles a short distance away.

In an impact statement read to the court from the victims of the second break-in they said their children had been left scared that “the boogeyman” was going to come back to their home. The family is now considering moving.

Kevin Granville Harmon, of Abbots Mews, Margam, Port Talbot, has 41 previous convictions for 137 offences including six house burglaries and 13 vehicle thefts.

Stephen Thomas, for Harmon, told Swansea Crown Court that the defendant had grown up in care, left school without any qualifications, and “associated with the wrong crowd”. He said at the age of 38 his client was diagnosed with a personality disorder, drug dependency disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and had no memory of the events of the night in question due his consumption of Valium.

Harmon was sentenced to three years in prison for burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

The one who threatened to stab a pensioner and trashed his home

Marcus Ball was one of two intruders who forced their way into an elderly man’s house and ransacked the place looking for items to steal to fund a drug habit.

The victim was just sitting down for his tea at home in the Broadmead Park area of Newport when Ball and another man knocked at the door forced their way inside. The pair threatened to stab the pensioner with a pair of scissors before smashing up the property.

As a parting shot one of the men put his face up close to the pensioner and said: “You don’t know me do you? Don’t go telling the police or I’ll cut you up.”

In a statement read to court the victim said the incident had a “profound impact on his life” and he had moved to Bristol with his daughter after feeling unsafe in his own home.

Barrister Rosamund Rutter, for 34-year-old father-of-two Ball, said her client had been “blighted with drug addiction” to crack cocaine and heroin and had offended in order to fund that addiction.

Marcus Ball, of George Street, Pontypool, was sentenced to nine years in prison as a dangerous offender. Sending him down Recorder Caroline Rees QC said it must have been “absolutely terrifying” incident for the victim who was quietly sat down for dinner when the two intruders burst in and “hell was unleashed.”

The ones who broke into a flat and stole a tarantula spider

Kelly Dalling and brothers Anthony and Kevin Shannon broke into a flat in Swansea the stole a haul of items from an electric drum kit to a tarantula.

The trio gained access to a secure courtyard at a block of flats on Orchards Street in the city centre, then one of their number climbed into a property through a window which had been left on the latch and let the other two in.

When the couple who lived in the flat returned home that evening they found an untidy search had been made of the flat, and items including clothes, an electronic drum kit, hair straighteners, medication, a wallet, and a tarantula and its tank had been taken. It is thought the burglars used bags-for-life to carry away the stolen goods. Police were alerted, and an officer identified Dalling from CCTV footage of the area.

Some of the booty was later recovered after police tracked down the trio, but the whereabouts of tarantula remains unknown.

Kelly Louvaine Dalling, aged 38, of Oystermouth Road, Swansea, has 15 previous convictions for 33 offences including house burglaries in 2012, 2014, and 2016, and as such fell to be sentenced as a so-called “third-strike” burglar. She was sentenced to three years in prison.

Anthony James Shannon, aged 32, of Devon View, Sketty Park, Swansea, and 36-year-old Kevin William Kenneth Shannon, of The Strand in Swansea city centre, were each sentenced to 16 months in prison.

The one who attacked women with a sledgehammer as they defended their elderly grandparents

John Flynn broke into a family home in the middle of the night and attacked two women with a seldgehammer as they tried to defend their elderly grandparents

Flynn and another man who has never been identified smashed their way into a flat about a shop in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, just after 2.20am demanding cash and jewellery from the terrified occupants.

When he went to attack the grandfather of the family in his bedroom, two sisters stepped-in to defend the 91-year-old and ended up getting attacked with the weapon. One of the women suffered a gash to her head.

Flynn fled the scene in a stolen Range Rover, and later than morning was involved in 110mph police chase before being caught.

In a victim impact statement which one of the sisters read to Cardiff Crown Court she said: “That night became one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. My bedroom was broken into and I had no form of protection and had to comply with their demands. I stood no chance against these two men with weapons.

“My sister and I protected each other and our elderly grandparents but our vulnerabilities were not a deterrent to these two individuals and we were pleading for our lives.”

John Flynn, of Coed y Gores, Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, unlawful wounding, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He 50 previous convictions on his record including offences of violent disorder, common assault, burglaries, and attempted robbery.

Judge David Wynn Morgan described Flynn as a “life-long professional criminal”.

Flynn was made subject to an extended prison sentence having been found to be a dangerous offender and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment of which he will serve two-thirds before being considered for parole.

The man who raided the house with the defendant remains at large.

The one high on spice and Valium who targeted an elderly and vulnerable neighbour

Donny Lyons broke into the home of the 77-year-old neighbour while the pensioner was down the pub and stole his medication, tablet computer, fishing rod, and a watch which was of particular sentimental value.

The defendant knew his target because his uncle did work for the him as a handyman.

In an impact statement from the pensioner which was read to the court he said the burglary had left him feeling frightened to be alone, and he was now “living on my nerves”. He added that he was thankful he had his dog for company.

Donny Lyons, of Brynsiriol, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, has a “lengthy history” of offending starting when he was a juvenile with offences including matters of dishonesty, violence, possession of drugs, criminal damage, and house burglaries.

Ian Ibrahim, for Lyons, said on the day in question the defendant had been under the influence of Valium and spice – a drug habit on which he was spending between £25 to £35 a day. He said Lyons had been misusing Valium since his teens and had been taking spice for the last decade having been introduced to the drug in prison.

Judge Geraint Walters described the burglary as a “mean” offence and, sentenced him to 876 days in prison which is the mandatory minimum sentence for a third-strike repeat burglar

The one who cannot remember breaking into his 18th house – nor explain why he stole a bottle of milk from the fridge

Simon Cairns broke into a house in the Uplands area of Swansea while the couple who lived there were out – the husband was walking the dog, and the wife was attending a medical appointment. When the victims returned home they found a ground floor window had been smashed to gain entry, drawers and cupboards had searched and emptied, and there were spots of the intruder’s blood dotted around the property.

The couple at first thought the only thing that had been taken was bottle of milk from the fridge, but later realised a spare set of house keys was also missing.

Scenes of crime officers were able to recover blood from a vase in the bedroom, and tests showed the DNA to be a match with prolific burglar Cairns.

Simon Cairns, of Gordon Thomas Close, Waun Wen, Swansea, has five previous convictions for 17 offences of burglary and attempted burglary on his record. He had only been out of prison following his last conviction for around three months when he broke into the Cwmdonkin Drive house.

Advocate Jon Tarrant, for Cairns, said there had clearly been items in the house that could have been taken, and the defendant was at a loss to explain why he stole a four-pint carton of milk from the fridge.

Judge Paul Thomas QC described Cairns as a “prolific burglar” who had been convicted of 17 house burglaries in the last 18 years. The defendant was sentenced to four years in prison.

The one who raided 17 shops, bars and restaurants in seven months

Fernando Preda stole thousands of pounds worth of mobile phones, large amounts of cash, and items stock including bottles of booze after entering staff-only areas of shops, bars, and restaurants around Swansea during a seven-month spate of offending.

The Romanian national was arrested in the middle of the spree but gave a false name and date of birth which meant he was incorrectly dealt with a juvenile, and his history of thefts in France prior to entering the UK went undetected. He was given a youth referral order but quickly resumed his burglaries in Swansea before going to Scotland and committing further offences there before being arrested and jailed there. The 20-year-old was then arrested by South Wales Police.

A check with Interpol using the defendant’s correct information showed he has numerous convictions as a juvenile in France starting when he was aged 14. Preda has eight convictions from a court in Lille for a range of offences including thefts, aggravated theft, theft after unlawful entry to property, providing false ID, handling stolen goods, avoiding a roadblock, and driving without a licence.

Rhiannon Lee, for Preda, said the defendant had no family or support network in the UK and, being unable to work, had “lost his way” and turned to offending to provide an income. She said her client was remorseful for what he had done and upon release from the inevitable custodial sentence he was facing “wants to return to his home country and and make a better life for himself”.

Judge Huw Rees told Preda he had carried out an “audacious” string of burglaries targeting supermarkets, pubs, restaurants, and a number of small businesses which were already struggling to survive during the pandemic. The defendant was sentenced to a total of 46 months detention for burglary, fraud, and perverting the court of justice.

The one who spat blood in the face of a policeman and told him he hoped he catches Covid before grabbing a policewoman’s breast and twisting it

Benjamin Davies was caught red-handed by police burgling a shop before acting like a “wild animal” as he attacked and injured five officers.

A member of the public called 999 after seeing a man breaking into the Refresh shop on Stepney Street in Llanelli, and police were soon on the scene. Three officers tried to restrain the defendant and took him to the floor, and during the struggle he tried to pick up a metal bar before grabbing a female officer by the hair. Davies was eventually sprayed with Pava incapacitant spray and placed in handcuffs. The defendant continued to struggle as he was being taken to the police van telling officers “take your uniform off and I’ll fight you like a real man”. He then kicked one officer in groin, and spat blood and saliva into the face of another before telling him: “I hope you get Covid.”

While the 21-year-old was being held in a cell at Ammanford police station officers became concerned for his welfare when he was seen on CCTV putting his top around his neck. Officers went to check on him and he became “incredibly aggressive” with them, struggling with officers and grabbing the breast of a policewoman before twisting it violently.

The officers who Davies attacked suffered cuts and bruises, and the female officer whose breast he twisted had to go to Prince Phillip Hospital following concerns about breast tissue damage. One of the officers said the defendant “knew what he was doing” and “the scary thing is, he seemed to enjoy hurting us”.

Judge Geraint Walters described the defendant’s behaviour on the day in question as “truly disturbing”. He said it was clear Davies had been heavily under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he acted “like a wild animal”, and he said the public were rightly concerned at such violence directed towards officers.

Davies, of Granby Close, Morfa, Llanelli, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burglary, four counts of assault by beating, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The one who broke into a restaurant, drank booze from behind the bar, and fell asleep

Samuel Mulligan broke into a restaurant in the early hours of the morning and crashed out on a sofa after helping himself to booze – and was still there when staff turned up for work the following morning.

The 31-year-old was found fast asleep in Las Iguanas in Cardiff city centre having drunk bottles of spirits from behind the bar. Police were called, and in his subsequent interview admitted breaking into the restaurant, and said had also been on a shoplifting spree at Cardiff’s John Lewis in the previous couple of weeks.

Peter Wormald, for Mulligan, said there was a “repetitive tale” of his client spending time in jail and then being released homeless.

Samuel Mulligan, of Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff, was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

The one who crept into a family house and stole a paramedic’s kit and a child’s packed lunch

Daniel Carmichael broke into a house while a family were asleep upstairs and stole a host of items including paramedic equipment, a motorbike, food from the fridge, and even a child’s packed lunch which had been prepared for school the next day

Carmichael then helped himself to the family’s car – which he crashed into railings just 100 yards away before running off. The 31-year-old was identified after he tried to use one of the debit cards he had stolen from the house in a corner shop – when officers tracked him down he told them he had been so “Valled up”, had taken so many Valium tablets, on the night in question that he couldn’t remember going into the property in the Hafod area of Swansea.

In a victim impact statement from the mum of the burgled family she described how she had been felt feeling anxious and nervous, and scared to pop down stairs at night to make a cup of tea. She said was angry that somebody had entered their home and gone through their things.

Dan Griffiths, for Carmichael, said the abuse of drink and drugs had been a “constant theme” in his client’s offending over the years but he had now made enquiries about attending a rehabilitation centre in Scotland upon his eventual release from prison. He said the defendant has two young children who he is currently prevented from having contact with, a state of affairs which causes him “a great deal of pain”, and said “there can be no better motivation for him to sort his act out”.

Daniel Lee Carmichael, of Neath Road, Hafod, Swansea, has previous convictions for 47 offences including including aggravated vehicle-taking, burglary, going equipped for theft, and the battery of a former partner. He was sentenced to a total of two years and eight months in prison for burglary, aggravated vehicle-taking, and fraud.

The one who broke into a house just nine days after being released from prison following a previous burglary

Kristian Evans “fell back into his old ways” of taking drugs and breaking into houses just nine days after being released from a prison

The 39-year-old entered a house in Westbury Street in the Uplands area of Swansea through a closed but unlocked front door and helped himself to a PlayStation computer games console, a selection of games, a computer hard drive, and an Amazon TV Fire stick from the living room. The following day he went to the Cash@Maxx shop in the city centre and tried to sell the electrical items he had stolen – but the victim had already notified local pawn shops of the serial numbers of the devices and the transaction was declined. Evans asked staff who had given them the information, adding: “Was it my missus? I don’t want to go to jail.”

Kristian Dee Evans, of Carlton Terrace, Mount Pleasant, Swansea, has 27 previous convictions for 61 offences on his record stretching back over two decades and including house burglaries, robberies, public order matters, shoplifting, and possession of Class A and Class B drugs.

Dan Griffiths, for Evans, said the only mitigation he could put forward on behalf of his client was his guilty plea. He said the defendant had been released from prison shortly before the Uplands burglary and “it seems he fell back into his old ways almost immediately” of abusing heroin and Valium and offending in order to fund that habit. The advocate said Evans had consumed “a large quantity” of Valium on the day in question and the sole purpose of the burglary had been to obtain electrical items to sell in order to buy more drugs.

The advocate added: “The sad reality of his life at the moment is that he is unable to cope in the community.”

Judge Paul Thomas QC told Evans him he had a “quite disgraceful” criminal record and already spent a good deal of his adult life in custody and now seemed determined to spend his middle age in the same way. The defendant was sentenced to four years in prison.

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