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A man has been jailed for three years after CCTV caught him breaking into a parked car on a driveway in Tranmere.
Ben Ollerhead, 29, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday 5 August after pleading guilty to theft from a motor vehicle, going equipped for theft, vehicle interference and attempted burglary, according to Merseyside Police.
The incident occurred on 22 June. A woman inside her Tranmere home spotted Mr Ollerhead and another man breaking into a parked car on her driveway, thanks to her CCTV system. The incident happened at around 2:05 am.
Later, the pair were seen at the bottom of Sidney Road, also in Tranmere, inspecting another vehicle, before they walked away onto Market Wells, further into Birkenhead town centre. The two men actually brazenly returned to the property on Sidney Road, but were chased away by two men.
Ollerhead was subsequently detained by police, who searched him and found a balaclava, gloves and a screwdriver. He was arrested on suspicion of going equipped for theft and later charged.
Detective Inspector Andrew West said in a statement: "This would have been a terrifying experience for the victim who spotted Ollerhead breaking into a car at her address. Ollerhead was armed with several tools to break into vehicles and could have caused serious damage to people's property in the area."
He added: "Such crimes can have a massive impact on the victims affected as they have seen someone break into their address, which is a frightening experience to go through and can often have a lasting impact. We hope that this sentence shows the extensive work our officers carry out to bring those responsible to justice."
Merseyside Police is encouraging residents to look at their homes through a 'thief's eyes' and identify issues that could make them a target for burglary. More advice is available on the force's website under its 'Think Like A Thief' campaign.
