Burglar left his photo at the scene
A career burglar who was caught when he left a passport photo of himself on the roof of a £4m Belgravia property was told to give up his life of crime by a judge because he is ‘not very good at it.’
Glen Banks, 57, climbed through a window of a two bedroomed house on Cadogan Lane on 14 February last year.
One of the occupants noticed that a window was open and that there was mud from the raider’s shoes on his desk.
He found Banks too but he managed to run out the house.
Police then found Bank had left his jacket containing paperwork including the passport photo behind him.
The jacket was tested and Banks’ DNA was identified, and he was subsequently arrested, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Jade Sodipo, prosecuting, said: ‘One of the occupants said he returned home in the evening at 6pm.’
‘He noticed that a window was open. He believed that it had been closed prior to him going out. He noticed that there was mud on the desk, but he didn’t think anything of it at the time.’
‘He heard a rustling sound ten minutes later.’
The complainant saw Mr Banks, but he managed to leave the property before he was caught.
‘He went to his mother to ask if they were expecting anyone. She said they were not expecting anyone in their home.’
‘Nothing was taken from the property.’
Referring to a victim impact statement from the complainant Ms Sodipo said: ‘He said that since the incident he has been more on edge and he doesn’t want to make mistakes.’
‘He says that he tries to be more cautious in respect of the house. He says he feels more afraid when the lights are off in his home.’
Just eleven days before the raid on 3 February Banks was spared jail by Judge Sally-Ann Hales after he stole Louis Vuitton and Celine handbags, along with a necklace, wallets, airpods and £155 during a break-in at a £12m property in Rutland Gate, Knightsbridge on 9 July 2024.
The six bedroom terraced house is currently valued at £12,470,000 on The Move Market website.
Judge Hales sentenced Banks for his lastest raid and said it was ‘disappointing to say the least’ to see him before her again.
Ms Sodipo said that Banks had 34 past theft offences and 10 previous burglaries.
Passing sentence Judge Hales said that Banks had been moved from the drug rehabilitation centre in Yorkshire just three days after he was given his suspended sentence last year.
‘Within three days of getting there you were removed from the treatment centre because of unacceptable behavior.
‘Within eleven days you committed another dwelling house burglary.
‘You were identified from items you left close to the scene.
‘It is disappointing to say the least that you are back before me and so soon after being given that suspended sentence.
‘I entirely acknowledge that you have an entrenched dependency on drugs and all the consequential impacts that has in terms of homelessness and a lack of stability.’
Banks was given a 28 month prison sentence, and 12 months of his suspended sentence was activated, meaning that he will serve 40 months.
‘I very much hope not to see you again, as it is never in terribly agreeable circumstances’, said Judge Hales.
She added: ‘Judging by the number of times you have been caught, you are not very good at it.’
Banks, of no fixed address, admitted one count of burglary of a dwelling with intent to steal.
