'Prolific offender' in Scarborough jailed after burgling residential property while occupants were asleep
Detectives in Scarborough have secured justice against "a prolific offender who has again caused significant upset".
Nicholas Polihronos, of Stoney Haggs Rise, pleaded guilty at York Crown Court today (Monday, January 26). The 43-year-old was sentenced to four years in prison.
Polihronos had been charged with a dwelling burglary following an incident at a flat on Blenheim Terrace at around midnight on December 18 last year.
The victims reported the incident to North Yorkshire Police at 6am on the next day when they awoke to find a window had been forced open.
Various items of their belongings were missing, including a laptop, a mobile phone, a pair of trainers, perfume, and two vapes.
CCTV recovered from the nearby area showed an unknown male suspect entering the flat at 11.56pm, and he left a short time later at 12.03am carrying items in his arms.
Cameras showed the man walking from Clarence Road to North Marine Road where he appeared to place the items outside a basement flat.
The suspect hid for a short time before walking away from the area.
Officers attended and recovered all the stolen items apart from the vapes.
On further review of the CCTV footage, an officer who had dealt with him for previous offences believed the suspect could be Polihronos.
They located him in Scarborough town centre later that day (Friday, December 19) and he was wearing visually similar clothing to the suspect on the CCTV footage.
He was arrested on suspicion of burglary and brought into custody for questioning.
Forensic examination was completed at the victims’ address, and a fingerprint was located on the outside of the sash window which was used to enter and exit the property during the burglary.
The fingerprint matched to the defendant.
Detective Constable Sam Rivers, of Scarborough CID, said: “Nicholas Polihronos is a prolific offender who has again caused significant upset and harm by committing a residential burglary whilst the occupants were sleeping.
“Burglary is a horrific offence. Nobody should feel unsafe in their own home.
“Faced with the CCTV and fingerprint evidence, the defendant pleaded guilty and received a four‑year custodial sentence.
“I hope the victims can now begin to move on knowing the individual responsible has been brought to justice.”