A dumb thief who tried to hitchhike with a massive stolen TV has been jailed for three years.
Steven Convey was finally nailed after a series of bizarre burglaries where he hid in plain sight.
Police enquiries on the 35-year-old uncovered CCTV footage of his ‘brazen’ law-breaking, which he often did in daylight.
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Convey was confronted by a resident after entering through a communal door during a search for an unsecured property.
The thief blagged his way out of trouble with a fabricated story about him being at the “wrong address.”
The CCTV clip taken on St Nicholas Road, Brighton, on 20 July was filmed moments before a nearby property was burgled and had its car stolen.
Convey, who was responsible for the snatched motor, committed another crime just four days later.
After breaking into a property, he stole multiple items, including a TV, where he hailed down a passerby to give him a lift home, as reported by Need To Know.
A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “He hailed down a workman who was driving along London Road.
“Asking them if they could give him and ‘his TV’ a lift to his address.
“Of course, the TV was not his.”
Between 20 July and 2 August, residential properties and businesses were targeted by the 35-year-old.
The buildings were located on St Nicholas Road, Kensington Street, Queens Place, Ditchling Road and Kings Road, Sussex.
Officers from Sussex Police tracked down Convey and arrested him on 4 Aug, with stolen jewellery found on him.
The 35-year-old was charged with five counts of burglary and theft, one count of burglary, dwelling, two counts of attempted burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, attempted theft of a motor vehicle and fraud by false representation.
On 3 Sept, he appeared at Lewes Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to all charges.
Returning to the court on 9 October, Convey of Hythe Road, Ashford, Kent, was jailed for three years.
Det Con James Botting said: “Convey relentlessly targeted properties in Brighton for his own gain.
“A dedicated team worked tirelessly to gather evidence and pursue every available line of enquiry, leading to indisputable evidence of Convey’s offending being uncovered.
“A guilty plea followed, and now Convey has been jailed.”
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