Yoda tin fingerprint identifies burglar

A Burglar who was chased out of a property and later identified by a fingerprint on a tin depicting Star Wars character Yoda has been jailed.

Matthew Douglas, 28, entered two flats in Nursery Road, Huntingdon, at about 5.30am on 2 June stealing various items including electrical equipment, a briefcase and the tin picturing the Jedi master.

However, was chased out of the second property by a man he had woken up and dropped some of the items including the tin as he fled.

Later that day a woman reported that her vehicle had been broken into in Hartford Road and a small amount of blood left at the scene. A black bag containing first aid supplies that had been stolen from the car was found outside one of the flats where the burglaries took place.

The following day Douglas was arrested after officers received the results of forensic tests on the items left at the scene.

Douglas was also captured on CCTV stealing meat from Marks and Spencer in Chequers Court, Huntingdon, on 27 May and alcohol from the Co-op in Cambridge Road, Godmanchester the following day.

Douglas, of St Clements Passage in Huntingdon, admitted two counts of burglary, one of theft from a motor vehicle and two of theft from a shop.

Yesterday (27 November) at Peterborough Crown Court he was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for the two counts of burglary and theft from a motor vehicle. The two counts of theft from a shop were taken into consideration.

Detective Constable Neil Patrick said: “Over the course of a week Douglas went on a stealing spree, with no consideration for others or the distress he may cause.

“We are committed to tackling burglary and bringing people to justice who feel they can steal from others in this way.”