A serial burglar has been given a two year prison sentence.

Denise Lee, who has no fixed address, was given the punishment at Kingston Crown Court on counts of burglary and fraud.

The crime

On the 24th of May 2020 Lee entered a house in South Twickenham by the open French window at the rear of a property.

She was disturbed by the resident of the house, and ran off, taking the purse of the victim when she has left.

Lee has then used the victim's debit card at a nearby shop, buying alcohol and completing the offence of fraud by false representation.

How Lee was caught

The 51-year-old was caught after the victim saw a post detailing her previous convictions online.

A post on Nextdoor about a previous conviction of Lee by local South Twickenham Dedicated Ward Officer PC Ray Sullivan was seen by the victim who recognized the thief the day after the burglary and contacted police.

On arranging to arrest Lee, and on completing information checks it was found Lee had been arrested and was in custody for a separate Burglary committed earlier that year.

The Sentence

Lee was sentenced in total to two years imprisonment for one case of burglary on the 23rd of May, one case of fraud on the 23rd May 2020 for three months imprisonment to be served concurrently, one case of Burglary on the 2nd of May for two months imprisonment to be served concurrently and a third case of burglary on the 6th of June for 2 months imprisonment also to be served concurrently.

PC Sullivan states "A two year custodial sentence was a great result. Lee has been constantly offending in the area and the residents of South Twickenham will have a much needed break from her offending."

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