A businesswoman who installed CCTV after her home was burgled twice watched it being raided for the third time live on her phone while on holiday, a court heard.
Company director Anne Ripley, 53, had been on a trip away to an undisclosed location when the burglary triggered an alarm just before 2am, which brought up footage of the crime taking place.
Mrs Ripley, who runs an online retail firm from her £500,000 five bedroomed cottage in the village of Bamford, Rochdale, could only look on as Kaylen Perry and Sam Taylor, both 20, ransacked her living room before venturing upstairs to steal more. In total they stole around £4,500 of items, including handbags and cash.
When she passed on the footage to police, officers immediately recognised Perry and Taylor as both were already career criminals who had recently been freed early from jail.
The pair were arrested 11 days later during a violent struggle with officers.
It emerged Perry and Taylor had been wearing disguises when they broke through a patio door due to CCTV cameras around the exterior of the house, but then removed them once inside – not realising interior cameras were also in operation.
Sam Taylor, one of the three burglars who targeted businesswoman Anne Ripley’s home – Cavendish
Kaylen Perry and two accomplices broke into the home after forcing their way through a patio door – Cavendish
Prosecutor Miss Lisa Boocock said: “On 8 March Anne Ripley, who has been burgled before and has CCTV, was away from her home in Bamford because she was on holiday.
“At 1.45am she was alerted by the system and the alarm was activated, and saw video footage on her mobile phone. It shows the two defendants and another man running from the living room to the upstairs of the property.
” Police officers later recognised the defendants as they were showing their faces and didn’t realise there was an internal camera.
“There was significant damage to the dwelling and there must have been some planning involved. They tried to disguise themselves outside the property and went equipped to burgle. “
At Minshull Street Crown Court Perry admitted burglary and was jailed for 16 months. Taylor also admitted burglary and unrelated offences of attempted burglary, being carried in a stolen vehicle and possessing cannabis and was jailed for two years.
A third man seen on the footage was not identified.
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