Jail for prolific Sprotbrough thief

Mark Anthony Corbett, of Probert Avenue, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court for his part in a burglary at Ambleside Crescent last month.

During the early hours, the family at the house had their BMW, worth £12,000, stolen with the keys, before it rammed a police patrol car, driven by PC Paul Greaves.

No-one was hurt and Corbett was detained, while his partner in crime, who was driving the BMW, managed to flee the area. Corbett pleaded guilty to the offence.

He had earlier admitted burglary and taking without lawful authority (TWLA) and also asked for a further eight offences to be taken into consideration. These included five attempted house burglaries and three thefts from motor vehicles, all in Sprotbrough during the same night.

Corbett was sentenced to three years in jail for the Ambleside Crescent burglary and eight months for the TWLA charge, to run consecutively.

The judge also ordered that Corbett serve a 12-month driving ban from the date of his release.

Sentencing Corbett, Judge Robert Moore said: “Scarcely a week goes by without me hearing about a burglary where a vehicle has been taken and this was a targeted expedition on this night. You are a serial taker of other people’s cars and must be sentenced severely.”

Afterwards, Det Sgt Paul Dickinson said: “Special thanks go to the residents of Sprotbrough, who were quick to contact us and report the crimes committed by this man on the night in question.

“That’s why so many resources were deployed in the area. Without people’s assistance these crimes may never have been solved.”

South Yorkshire Police launched Operation Lockdown last month to tackle house burglary and vehicle crime. Officers have so far arrested nearly 600 people.