A persistent and prolific offender who was greeted by police at the door of a Sale vicarage he tried to burgle has been caged for five years.
Dennis Smith, 33, and accomplice Danielle Condron, 30, were caught red-handed on July 27 when they attempted to break into the property on Brooklands Road, Sale.
A police officer was already inside the vicarage conducting other enquiries when he was tipped off by a colleague that the pair were approaching the house.
Smith shouted ‘hello’ through the letterbox and, after some loud banging, entered to find the officer waiting for him.
The crooks both made a dash for a car that was outside but the officers, who had already called for back-up, surrounded it.
Condron tried to run away and Smith drove the car 15 feet into the gateposts of the vicarage.
In the commotion one police officer was flung into the road and two other officers suffered injuries.
Upon arrest Smith pleaded with officers and said: “It’s only an attempted burglary, I didn’t get in the house. I didn’t know it was a vicarage, I wouldn’t have done it had I known.”
Smith, who pleaded guilty to burglary and three counts of wounding with intent, was jailed for for five years.
Condron, who asked officers upon arrest ‘Can you get my bag? It’s in the car’, was found guilty of burglary and sentenced to 18 months supervision order a drugs rehabilitation plan.
Police Sergeant Phil Seeley said: “We have no doubt this man and woman would have stolen items from the vicarage.
“I would like to praise the officers involved for their teamwork when apprehending this pair, all of whom demonstrated extreme bravery when detaining Smith while he attempted to drive off.
“They very much put their lives on the line in order to detain Smith who is a persistent and prolific offender, making the communities of Trafford far safer now he is behind bars.”
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