Two men have been arrested, charged and sentenced for committing a series of home burglaries in Sussex last September.

Lee Ash, 40, and Reginald Hill, 45, broke into several properties in Stoughton and Bosham on September 18. Among the items stolen were jewellery, silver items, a TV, an Apple Mac, and other Apple products. 

The crime spree also extended to West Dean, Bosham, and Hooe, with reports of break-ins and thefts involving valuable items such as silver, jewellery, Rolex watches, and antique clocks.

Following their arrest on September 19 in Kent, a search of their vehicle revealed multiple stolen items matching those reported missing in Sussex. Initially charged with three counts of burglary, Ash and Hill later faced additional charges during their court appearance on October 24.

The duo’s final count of charges was six burglaries. On October 25, Lewes Crown Court sentenced Ash and Hill to six years imprisonment each after pleading guilty to burglary. 

Detective Constable Gaye Moore, part of the criminal investigation team, shared his views on the successful arrest and sentencing of Ash and Hill. 

“This is a great result following brilliant partnership policing and investigative work and we are pleased to see this pair brought to justice,” Moore said. 

“This sentence should act as a warning to anyone in or outside of Sussex thinking about stealing from our communities – you will be caught and dealt with.”

Another series of burglaries in Sussex

Earlier on January 4, Sussex Police arrested William Djama (35), who had been targeting homes across Brighton and Hove in December 2022. An investigation uncovered CCTV and receipts linking Djama to the stolen items, which became crucial evidence for the case.

Sussex Police became aware of Djama’s burglary series on December 10, 2022, following an overnight break-in at Centurion Road in Brighton. A downstairs window was broken during the break-in, and items were stolen. 

Just four days later, a resident on Somerhill Avenue in Hove interrupted Djama in the act of stealing electrical items, chasing him out through a downstairs window. On December 19, another burglary was reported in Springfield Road, featuring similar downstairs window damage, and Djama was identified leaving the scene. 

Following Djama’s arrest, he faced charges of four counts of burglary. At Lewes Crown Court on September 8, Djama was sentenced to five years and nine months after being found guilty of all charges, activating a suspended sentence from August 2022 for prior burglaries.

Proactive measures

Although several series of burglaries have happened in Sussex this year, the region has maintained a relatively low burglary rate. According to a recent study by ADT, Sussex ranks fifth in the country with one of the lowest burglary rates. 

The study recorded at least 3.8 residential burglaries per 100,000 households. It also revealed that Devon and Cornwall had the fewest burglaries per 1,000 homes for the second consecutive year across all areas in England and Wales. In contrast, Cleveland reported the highest burglary rate, with 16.6 burglaries per 1,000 people in the year ending March 2023.

Even so, Sussex residents may need to take extra precautions following recent apprehensions. The Sussex Police has proposed proactive measures countywide, which include securing doors and windows and installing security systems. Joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme is also advised to encourage community vigilance and overall security awareness. 

Consulting professional security companies, such as Marengo, may help in enhancing protection against home burglaries as well. They can conduct thorough property assessments to identify vulnerabilities, offer tailored security solutions, and provide deterrence tactics.