'We believe there's good in everyone': Shrewsbury couple whose house was burgled while on holiday plead for criminal to give back jewellery
A couple have pleaded with the burglar who stole their jewellery while they were on holiday in Paris to return it - insisting they “believe there is good in everyone”.
Despite the “distress and upset” caused by prolific criminal Shane Wear when he smashed his way into the house in Shrewsbury and stole the husband’s wedding ring and his wife’s brooches, necklace and earrings, they have “wished him well”.
Wear, aged 47, broke into the couple’s house in April this year, leaving a mess throughout the house including in the master bedroom.
However, it was far from a sophisticated burglary, with Wear leaving behind a bag with cans of cider in it and an envelope addressed to himself. He was also seen on CCTV.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that the couple set off for their holidays on April 10, leaving their home securely locked and tidy for when they got home.
However, when they got back around a week later, they discovered they had been broken into.
A window had been damaged when it had been prized open, with part of the frame left in the garden.
The main bedroom had been searched and it was discovered that jewellery, which was not of high value but was of sentimental value, had been taken.
The husband’s wedding ring of 48 years had been stolen, along with several items belonging to his wife including animal brooches, a necklace and earrings.
A video camera and a set of car keys were also missing.
In victim impact statements summarised in court by prosecutor Danny Smith, it was said that the wife was “quite upset” about losing the items of “sentimental value”.
"We believe there is good in everyone"
The husband said: “We want to appeal to him to return my wedding ring of 48 years and my wife’s jewellery.”
He added: “We believe there is good in everyone. We hope he can be rehabilitated to live a lawful life.
“We’ve lived in our community for 43 years. The burglary, for so little gain, has caused much distress for ourselves.
“We hope he chooses a better path for life in the future and wish him well.”
Wear was also sentenced for an attempted burglary at a property in Greyfriars Road, Belle Vue, Shrewsbury on April 14 this year, along with his accomplice in that offence, David Jinks.
The pair of them listened in on the hearing from custody at Hewell prison in Redditch.
The court was told that the Belle Vue property belonged to a landlord who rented it out.
He discovered an axe had been thrown through the living room window.
Nothing was stolen, but around £100 of damage was caused.
Blood belonging to Jinks, aged 38, was discovered at the scene, as well as a mobile phone belonging to Wear.
Wear’s phone had a text message on it from a probation officer, trying to arrange an appointment. He had only been released from prison around five weeks before committing these offences.
After Wear was arrested he provided a “no comment” interview to police, while Jinks denied any involvement.
However, both men later pleaded guilty to the attempted burglary in court, with Wear also admitting to the Longden Road burglary.
Wear, of no fixed abode, has 48 convictions for 155 offences, the majority of which are dishonesty offences including burglary.
Jinks, also of no fixed address, has 39 previous convictions for 68 offences, including seven burglaries.
Rosemary Proctor, for Wear, said he expected and wanted a prison sentence “measured in years”.
“He has, in his own words, ‘become institutionalised’,” she said.
“He needs support within a highly controlled environment.”
She added that his mother passed away earlier this year and he missed the funeral due to being in custody, and that he has been going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Debra White, for Jinks, said he could not remember committing the burglary attempt and that he was under the influence of drugs at the time, which was backed up by video footage of him “staggering” when it took place.
Judge Anthony Lowe told Wear: “You have many previous convictions,” before jailing him for 45 months.
He told Jinks: “You have an appalling record for offending in general,” jailing him for 12 months.
It is expected both men will serve no more than 50 per cent of their sentences behind bars before being released on licence.
