A bungling Doncaster burglar who claimed he “found” stolen firearms after raiding a local store has been sentenced to nearly two years behind bars.
Gavin Smedley, 37, was caught red-handed after triggering an alarm during a break-in at a Doncaster shop on March 17. Officers responded within two minutes, finding Smedley in possession of three firearms. Upon being confronted, Smedley dropped the weapons and was swiftly arrested.
In a police interview, Smedley insisted he had stumbled upon the guns in the store’s car park and merely picked them up. However, police discovered a hole cut in the roof of the premises and found a wood saw nearby, suggesting a very different story. The evidence left Smedley with little choice but to plead guilty to one charge of burglary and three counts of possessing a firearm without a certificate.
On September 5, at Sheffield Crown Court, Smedley, of Old Hexthorpe, was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison.
Response Constable Luke O’Donnell, who made the arrest, expressed relief that the stolen weapons didn’t fall into the wrong hands. “The damage Smedley could have caused if he had successfully stolen these guns cannot be understated,” he said. “The use and illegal possession of these weapons is something we won’t tolerate here in South Yorkshire, and we are committed to targeting individuals linked to firearms offences.”
South Yorkshire Police urged anyone concerned about gun crime to contact them, reminding the public to dial 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, reports can be made anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 0800 555 111.
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