'Predatory' burglar caught after ramming police car in high speed chase
A callous "predator" who broke into the homes of elderly and vulnerable people was finally caught after he crashed into a police car near the Shropshire border.
Adam Prendergast, aged 33, of Blake's Road, Peckham, East London was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday to six years in prison for burgling nine homes, four of which were in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Another five burglaries were in the south of England.
But it was in the villages around the Leominster area where he was finally caught in a car filled with other people’s cash and possessions by West Mercia Police.
He was snared by officers in Herefordshire after he had broken into the homes of elderly and vulnerable people and stolen their cash, jewellery and silverware in April.
PC Simon Caine, from Herefordshire Proactive CID, said: “Prendergast preyed on those who were vulnerable and had no issue breaking into their homes and taking from them possessions that had significant meaning and value.
“On Monday April 25, after he had filled his car with other people’s cash and possessions, he was spotted by officers from the Herefordshire Operational Policing Unit who identified his number plates as false and the failed to stop for them once they tried to pull him over.
"He then drove at extremely dangerous high speeds through quiet villages putting pedestrians, and other road users' lives at risk before ramming the pursuing police car in Leominster.
“A very short time after this he was stopped by more officers and successfully detained and arrested. Property from several of the houses was found in his car."
Prendergast was also sentenced for dangerous driving and has been disqualified from driving for four-and-a-half years.
PC Caine added: “Prendergast is a predator and the sentence handed down to him will I hope provide some comfort to his victims and will prevent him from violating other people’s homes and lives and will keep people safe from him.
“Our team and all officers and staff across West Mercia work hard daily to detect and prevent burglary and to keep people’s homes and possessions safe.
"My hope is that other offenders will take notice that elderly and vulnerable people in our communities are not an easy target and we will find you, catch you and you will go to prison.”
Anyone with any concerns about suspicious activity is urged to get in touch. You can call 101 or visit westmercia.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about
