'Stupid' double burglar who stole Shropshire woman's jewellery was sent on his way with bag of food by 'empathetic' victim

Matthew Bowes, aged 45, was confronted by victims during both burglaries, which he committed on the same afternoon at homes in Uffington, on the outskirts of Shrewsbury.

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He used bolt cutters to break through the security gates at one of the houses, where he stole jewellery.

And he was holding a metal bar in his hand when he was caught in the act at the other property.

A Shrewsbury Crown Court hearing held remotely was first told of the burglary Bowes committed at around 12.25pm on April 11 last year.

The victim’s home had previously been broken into in 2019, though there was no suggestion that was anything to do with Bowes.

On April 11, the victim was cleaning and tidying her house when she tried to go into her bedroom, which was locked from the inside.

She went outside to look through the window to see if someone was there and saw the curtains being drawn.

She walked down the street and saw a silver Nissan Almera had been parked up.

She returned to her home hoping the intruder had left, but found him there.

“She decided to talk to him,” said Alura Bather, prosecuting. “She told him she wanted him to go and he had no right to be there. He was holding a heavy pair of red bolt cutters which were about 3ft in length.” Bowes was also holding a bag filled with perfume bottles. 

She asked him to give her keys back, which he eventually did after they searched the house together.

'Very apologetic'

“He became very apologetic,” Ms Bather added. “He said he shouldn’t have come into her home address.”

She also asked Bowes if he had arrived in the Nissan, which he said he hadn’t.