Serial burglar who preyed on elderly people finally caught and jailed thanks to fingerprints on alcohol can

A serial burglar has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after police identified him from fingerprints left on a box of alcohol he threw away as he fled the scene.

Paul Debenham, 40, was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Monday after being linked to a series of robberies in the Orpington area.

Debenham often targeted elderly people and, on two occasions, even broke into homes while the residents were inside.

On Tuesday, October 31, 2023, Debenham burst into a home on Spur Road brandishing a handgun. He pushed a 76-year-old woman to the ground and threatened a 78-year-old man before stealing their car.

He fled in a stolen car and did it again a few days later. On Thursday, November 2, 2023, Debenham broke into the home of a 96-year-old woman on Blenheim Road by smashing the glass panel of a back door with a brick.

Once inside, he threatened the woman with a hammer, demanding car keys and jewelry.

An internal CCTV camera filmed Debenham searching the property, providing crucial evidence for the police investigation.

PC Rob Melton, of Bromley Police Station’s Burglary Investigation Team, said: “Debenham was a ruthless criminal who committed crime to fund his lifestyle. He showed no remorse for the lasting impact these offences would have on his victims.

“Debenham’s arrest and the substantial evidence against him were the result of a combined effort by multiple local law enforcement units. He will now serve a substantial sentence which will protect the public from his despicable crimes. »

In addition to the two aggravated burglaries, Debenham was also charged with four commercial burglaries, seven residential burglaries, theft of a motor vehicle and interference with a vehicle.

With a total of 15 offences linked to him, Debenham was identified through extensive CCTV investigations after footage was obtained at a number of residential and commercial properties.

He left a box containing a bottle of alcohol at the scene in Spur Road, in which his fingerprints were recovered.