Slash threat burglar jailed for latest crime spree

A prolific burglar who threatened to "slash" a business owner during his latest theft spree has been jailed.

Ian Hall, 37, stole lead flashing from a Grade II listed building, a £6,000 bike from a cycle shop and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to various buildings in the Byker and Wallsend areas, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The court heard he plagued local businesses and repeatedly targeted the same companies.

Hall, who has dozens of previous convictions, admitted multiple counts of burglary and was jailed for two years and eight months.

On 10 August 2023, he stole lead from the roof of a Grade II listed building at the Heraeus Conamic site on Neptune Road in Wallsend, prosecutor Matthew Hopkins said.

The court heard that he used scaffolding, which was in place to allow workers to replace stolen lead, to access the roof.

The firm estimated thefts cost it £30,000 in 2023 alone.

Mr Hopkins said it was believed Hall, of Fossway in Walker, was responsible for the other thefts but he had not been charged with them.

On 22 September 2023, Hall was seen on the roof of an MOT garage in Wallsend using a metal pole to smash windows to get to their lead frames, the court heard.

A manager found the bike he had ridden to the scene and took it, prompting Hall to demand it back while holding his hand in his jacket pocket in a "threatening manner" before fleeing, Mr Hopkins said.

On 3 November 2023, Hall used a knife to cut his way through a canvas door, causing £2,500 of damage, to get into a shed at an engineering firm in Wallsend.

As he left with a quantity of cable, a manager challenged him, prompting Hall to threaten to "slash" the man with a knife, the court heard.

On 22 April 2024, Hall broke a padlock and smashed his way into a cycle shop in Byker and stole a bike worth £6,000, the third time the company had been burgled in two months.

Hall was identified from DNA on the recovered bike, the court heard.

He attempted to burgle the same shop on 1 May 2024 and caused £2,000 worth of damage to metal shutters using a metal crowbar he had previously hidden in bushes nearby, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, the bike shop owner said Hall had had a "major impact" on his personal life because when the shop was closed, he was "glued" to its CCTV feed in anticipation of further burglaries.

He also said he was considering relocating as he felt targeted, the court heard.

Hall was arrested on 3 May but after being taken out of the police van he attempted to flee and scaled a locked gate, Mr Hopkins said.

Police deployed a Taser knocking him to the ground, but Hall managed to run away before slipping and being detained, the court heard.

In mitigation the court heard the father-of-five, who has 38 convictions for 64 offences including multiple burglaries, has a history of cocaine addiction which has led to his offending.

Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].