Worthing man jailed for spate of burglaries targeting vulnerable people

According to Sussex Police, 45-year-old Billy Hall, of King Edward Avenue in Worthing, was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted over ten offences.

Police said officers were investigating a spate of house burglaries in the Worthing district during May and June last year, after being called initially to a property in Sea Lane, Ferring, on May 16.

The occupant, an 83-year-old woman, was gardening and when she returned inside she noticed her bank cards, jewellery and a small notepad with her bank card PIN details were missing, police said.

Officers discovered £500 had been withidrawn from her bank accounts, police added, after which CCTV from ATM was obtained and a police investigation launched.

According to police, over the next month eight other burglaries or attempted burglaries with similarities were reported to police and further CCTV evidence was sought. Footage was seized of a man with a handbag in his hands fleeing from a property in Georgia Avenue, Worthing. The man from the footage was identified as Hall as well as DNA evidence found linking him to the scene. A footprint was also discovered at a property in Lindum Way, Worthing, and when tested, supported the view that the mark recovered was made by Hall’s trainers.

Hall was arrested and subsequently charged with four counts each for burglary and fraud and one count each for theft and attempted burglary. He appeared at Hove Crown Court on Wednesday, February 12 and was given a total of five years in prison, police said.

Investigating officer DC Chris Merryfield-Day said: “We welcome the result from court for the sentencing of Hall. He preyed on vulnerable elderly victims and would often enter the properties when the occupants were at home during the evening or asleep.

“I must commemorate the courageousness of each of the victims in their support for our investigation and hope it goes some way to providing them with closure.”