A MAN who stole war medals and a high value motorbike in burglaries in Wrexham has been jailed. 

Robert Spruce, of Llwyneinion Road, Rhosllanerchrugog, appeared before Caernarfon Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday (June 15). 

The 27-year-old had previously admitted to three burglaries and a handling stolen goods offence. 

Elin Owen, prosecuting, said that first offence occurred on March 27, 2021. 

The court heard that at 9.20pm, an alarm was activated at Ningbo Distribution Ltd on Wrexham Industrial Estate. A member of staff was alerted to the alarm and saw a transit van parked inside the gate of the depot containing two people. 

The van then drove off at speed, with the staff member, Carlton Robinson, pursuing it in another vehicle. However, the chase ended when a small car pulled out in front of Mr Robinson and he was unable to further pursue the van. 

The court was told that CCTV was analysed and showed two men, one of them later identified as Spruce, using a forklift truck to remove a motorbike worth £14,000 that was being stored at the depot. The bike was never recovered. 

Ningbo Distribution's company director made his own enquiries into the burglary. He tracked down a van that was being sold on Facebook Marketplace which had identical markings to a photo of the van that Mr Robinson had taken. Spruce was the registered keeper of this van. 

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Spruce was arrested and interviewed by the police on October 12, 2021. He was released under investigation. 

In relation to the handling stolen goods charge, on October 25, 2022, a burglary occurred at a house in Johnstown. The court was told that the occupant of the house returned home to find the back door had been smashed and an untidy search had been carried out. A large quantity of jewellery, cash and other items had been stolen. 

Some of the items were recovered on wasteland in Johnstown. CCTV of the area was recovered and showed a person throwing a bag onto the wasteland at 12.36pm that day. The person was identified by the police as being Spruce. Spruce was arrested on November 16 and was released on bail. 

On March 4, 2023, a burglary occurred at a home on Percy Road in Wrexham. The occupant was on holiday when at 7pm he received a notification on his phone that CCTV at his home had activated. The homeowner watched as a man entered the garden and he could hear smashing noises. 

Police were informed and it was discovered that the back door of the property had been smashed open. A large amount of items, including war medals and military memorabilia and jewellery had been stolen. 

Some of the items of jewellery were later recovered from Spruce's address. The war medals were retrieved from a bin at the Royal British Legion in Llay, after Spruce had informed police where they were located. A total of 19 other items of jewellery remain unrecovered. 

And on March 5, a man and his wife living in the Oswestry area left their home at around midday. The resident had been alerted at 7.24 pm to movement outside his home by an app on his phone linked to CCTV. The entire glass pane of the rear patio door of the property had been smashed and an untidy search had taken place in every room of the house. 

Among the items stolen was a crossbow, and between £1,000 and £2,000 in cash that was in a safe. CCTV identified a car outside the house which was linked to Spruce. The crossbow and some items of clothing stolen were recovered from Spruce's address. 

Spruce was arrested and charged with both burglaries. He admitted being guilty of both at Mold Magistrates Court on April 5. 

Spruce has 10 prior convictions for 17 offences, which includes three for burglaries of homes. 

Simon Rogers, defending, said Spruce's information to the police led to the recovery of the war medals. He is also enrolling on a number of courses in the hope of attaining future employment. 

Her Honour Judge Nicola Saffman sentenced Spruce to 33 months imprisonment.