Teen sentenced after series of burglaries in north Liverpool
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Detectives from Operation Castle, our dedicated burglary team, are welcoming court results for three people following a series of break-ins at homes in Liverpool.
A 16-year-old boy from Liverpool was sentenced to two years in youth detention at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday 23rd November after being charged with 12 counts of burglary.
He was arrested following multiple break-ins at residential homes between April and August 2022 in the north Liverpool area, including Walton Hall Avenue and Breckfield Road North.
In a further positive result for Operation Castle, Robin Vasko, 33, of Warrington Road, Warrington, pleaded guilty at trial on Wednesday 23rd November to four burglaries.
Vasko is already serving a sentence for committing previous burglaries and he was linked to four further break-ins following fingerprint analysis. He will be produced for sentencing in January next year.
Jarmila Levayova, 29, of Cranborne Road, Liverpool, has also pleaded guilty to burglary after she was linked via a fingerprint to a break-in that occurred in 2019.
She pleaded guilty at a trial on Wednesday 23rd November and will be sentenced in January next year.
Both Vasko and Levayova targeted mainly student properties around the Smithdown Road area.
Detective Inspector Steve Byrom from Operation Castle said: “It is pleasing that these three individuals have been brought to justice.
“We understand that burglary often has a massive impact on victims. It can be a really personal and invasive crime and victims can struggle to come to terms with offenders having entered their homes and stolen personal items, which don’t always have huge monetary value, but on a personal level can be irreplaceable.
“Key to these successes can often be information from those communities targeted, so I would continue to ask people to report anything suspicious, and come forward with any information you may have seen or heard.
"Many burglaries are still preventable as offenders are often opportunistic. Lock your front and back door even when you are in, set your burglar alarm when you go out or go to be and consider getting CCTV.
“Burglary offenders commit their crime seasonally, with the dark nights and the lead up to Christmas some offenders will see this an opportunity. I am encouraging the community’s to ensure their homes are secured when they leave for work or socialising. I would also encourage people to ensure their house alarms are activated and consider light timers and CCTV.
“It’s also a good idea to use light timers when you go out at night or during the summer holiday period, keep valuables out of sight, and secure your shed and garage too. Look out for your neighbours, especially the elderly, and report anything suspicious to us.”
The support of our communities is vital in helping us put offenders behind bars. If you discover video footage on your home security camera, smart doorbell or even a dashcam that shows someone acting suspiciously on your property, you can upload it for the attention of the Operation Castle team here: https://unitedkingdom1cpp-portal.digital-policing.co.uk/merseyside/appeal/castle
Want to know more about how you can protect your home against burglary? Watch out for our Christmas crime prevention campaign ‘Operation Shepherd’ which launches soon.
You can find lots of information about crime prevention on our website here Crime prevention advice | Merseyside Police and follow the hashtag #OpShepherd on social throughout December to see how we are catching burglars and protecting people from crime.